Destitute of expedients, or not using successful expedients; characterized by failure, especially by failure to provide for one's own support, through negligence or incapacity; hence, lazy; improvident; thriftless; as, a shiftless fellow; shiftless management
lacking or characterized by lack of ambition or initiative; lazy; "a shiftless student"; "studied in a shiftless way
lacking or characterized by lack of ambition or initiative; lazy; "a shiftless student"; "studied in a shiftless way"
disapproval If you describe someone as shiftless, you mean that they are lazy and have no desire to achieve anything. a shiftless husband. lazy and having no interest in working hard or trying to succeed