Synonyms of waif
42 similar words · 45 opposite words
Another word for waif is bum. Other synonyms of waif are stiff, clochard, derelict, dero and down-and-out.
Synonyms and similar words for waif
nounA person (especially a child) who is homeless and without means of support; also, a person excluded...
- bumA homeless person, usually a man.
- stiff
- clochardA beggar or tramp, especially in France.
- derelictA homeless or jobless person; a vagrant; also, a person who is (perceived as) negligent in their hygiene and personal...
- deroA homeless person, a tramp; a social derelict, especially an alcoholic.
- down-and-outSynonym of down-and-outer.
- down-and-outerSomeone who is down and out.
- drifter
- floaterA person who frequently changes where they live; a drifter, a vagrant.
- gadling
- hobo
- landleaperSynonym of landlouper.
- landloper
- landlouperA vagabond; a vagrant.
- nomad
- pike
- piker
- ranger
- rogue
- rolling stone
- rough sleeperA homeless person who sleeps outdoors.
- skell
- stroller
- stumblebum
- swagmanA man who travels around with a swag (“bundle of personal items”); specifically, an itinerant person, often seeking...
- swaggieA swagman.
- toerag
- trampA homeless person; a vagabond.
- vagabond
- vagrantA person without settled employment or habitation who usually supports himself or herself by begging or some dishonest...
- wanderer
- casual dated
- epithite obsoleteA lazy, worthless fellow; a vagrant.
- Jack out of doors obsoleteA homeless person, or vagrant.
- knight of the road obsolete
- paker obsoleteA vagrant, stroller.
- palliard archaicA beggar or vagrant, especially a professional one; (earlier especially) a lecher.
- scatterling obsoleteOne who has no fixed residence; a vagabond.
- skelder obsoleteA vagrant or cheat.
- truant obsoleteSynonym of sturdy beggar (“a person who was fit and able to work, but lived as a beggar or vagrant instead”); hence, a...
- yagger Scotland, archaic
nounA very thin person, especially a young one.
- thin person
Opposite of waif
nounA very thin person, especially a young one.
- All are derogatory unless otherwise labeled
- butterball
- chodA fat person.
- chodderA fat person.
- chubbsA fat person.
- chubster
- chunker
- chunky monkeyA mildly obese person.
- elephant
- fat
- fatfuckA contemptible obese person.
- fatsoSomeone who is overweight.
- fattie
- fatty
- fatty bom bomA fat or overweight person.
- fatty boombalatty
- fat-ass
- fatass
- fat fuck
- fatshitA contemptible fat person.
- hambeastAn obese person.
- hamplanetAn extremely obese person, especially one prone to entitled behaviour and fat logic.
- heffalump
- landwhale
- lardassAn overweight or obese person.
- lardbucketA fat person.
- lardo
- oinker
- obeast
- pig
- podge
- porker
- pudge
- roly-poly
- salad dodger
- swagbelly
- thunder thighs
- tubbalard
- tubba lard
- tubboAn obese person.
- tub of gutsA fat person.
- tub of lardA fat person.
- whale
- fussock archaicA fat woman.
- gorbelly obsolete
Meaning of waif
- noun An article of movable property which has been found, and of which the owner is not known, such as goods washed up on a beach or thrown away by an absconding thief; such items belong to the Crown, which may grant the right of ownership to them to a lord of a manor.
- noun Something found, especially if without an owner; something which comes along, as it were, by chance.
- noun A person (especially a child) who is homeless and without means of support; also, a person excluded from society; an outcast.
waif in other languages
Questions about synonyms of waif
- What is another word for waif?
- Waif has 42 synonyms on Word.ws, such as bum, stiff, clochard, derelict, dero, down-and-out, down-and-outer and drifter.
- What is the opposite of waif?
- The opposite of waif is All are derogatory unless otherwise labeled. Other antonyms of waif are butterball, chod, chodder, chubbs and chubster.
- What does waif mean?
- Waif means an article of movable property which has been found, and of which the owner is not known, such as goods washed up on a beach or thrown away by an absconding thief; such items belong to the Crown, which may grant the right of ownership to them to a lord of a manor.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: waif (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this page: “Synonyms of waif.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/waif. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.