lowlife
C1Informal, often pejorative
Definition
Meaning
A person who is considered disreputable, dishonest, or of very low moral character.
An individual or group engaged in criminal, seedy, or contemptible activities. Can also be used attributively to describe such people, activities, or environments (e.g., lowlife behaviour).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word implies a fundamental lack of decency and a parasitic or predatory nature. It is a compound noun that can be used countably ('lowlifes' or 'lowlives') to refer to specific individuals. It inherently carries strong judgment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. Both varieties use the term, though American English may use it more frequently in crime/urban contexts.
Connotations
Equally negative in both dialects. It is a strong term of condemnation.
Frequency
Common in both, perhaps slightly more prevalent in American informal speech and media.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a lowlifethe lowlifesa bunch of lowlifessome lowlifethat lowlifeVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's lower than a snake's belly.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare. Might be used informally to describe a disreputable competitor.
Academic
Not used. Scholarly terms like 'sociopath', 'anti-social personality', or 'criminal' are preferred.
Everyday
Common in informal speech to express disgust or contempt for someone's character or actions.
Technical
Not used in legal, medical, or scientific contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The club attracted a lowlife crowd.
- It was a lowlife dive bar.
American English
- He's into some lowlife stuff.
- Stay away from his lowlife friends.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The police arrested some lowlifes who stole the car.
- Don't talk to that lowlife.
- He got mixed up with a bunch of lowlifes in the city and lost all his money.
- After the scam was exposed, everyone saw him for the pathetic lowlife he was.
- The tabloid's exposé revealed the seedy lowlife elements the celebrity had been bankrolling for years.
- He ran a sophisticated financial fraud, but at his core, he was just another greedy lowlife.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'low' (morally base) + 'life' (a person). A life form that exists at a low moral level.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORALITY IS HEIGHT / IMMORALITY IS LOW (a lowlife). CLEANLINESS IS MORALITY / DIRT IS IMMORAL (associated with dirt and filth).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "низкая жизнь" (poor quality of life). The word is about a person, not a lifestyle. Closest single-word equivalents are "подонок", "отморозок", "негодяй".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as an adjective without a noun (e.g., 'He is very lowlife' is incorrect; use 'He is a real lowlife' or 'He has lowlife tendencies'). Confusing plural: 'lowlifes' is more common than 'lowlives'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the closest synonym for 'lowlife' in the sentence: 'The neighbourhood was plagued by petty lowlifes'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not a swear word (profanity), but it is a strong, offensive insult.
Both 'lowlifes' and 'lowlives' are used. 'Lowlifes' is more common in modern usage.
Yes, attributively (before a noun). For example: 'lowlife criminals', 'a lowlife neighbourhood'. It is not used predicatively (e.g., NOT 'He is lowlife').
They are very similar in meaning and force. 'Lowlife' often refers to a specific person or type of person. 'Scum' is more collective and dehumanising, often referring to a group as a worthless mass.