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• tucker
  tucker

  noun

  a person or thing that tucks.
• Tucker
  Tucker

  noun

  Richard, 1915–75, U.S. operatic tenor.

tucker

¹ American  

[tuhk-er] / ˈtʌk ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that tucks.

2. a piece of linen, muslin, or the like, worn by women about the neck and shoulders.

3. chemisette.

4. a sewing machine attachment for making tucks.

5. Australian. food.

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tucker ² American  

[tuhk-er] / ˈtʌk ər /

verb (used with object)

Informal.

1. to weary; tire; exhaust (often followed byout ).

   The game tuckered him out.

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Tucker ³ American  

[tuhk-er] / ˈtʌk ər /

noun

1. Richard, 1915–75, U.S. operatic tenor.

2. Sophie Sophie Abruza, 1884–1966, U.S. singer and entertainer, born in Russia.

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tucker ¹ British  

/ ˈtʌkə /

noun

1. a person or thing that tucks

2. a detachable yoke of lace, linen, etc, often white, worn over the breast, as of a low-cut dress

3. an attachment on a sewing machine used for making tucks at regular intervals

4. old-fashioned an informal word for food

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tucker ² British  

/ ˈtʌkə /

verb

1. informal to weary or tire completely

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tucker Idioms  

1. see best bib and tucker.

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Etymology

Origin of tucker¹

First recorded in 1225–75, tucker is from the Middle English word tokere. See tuck ¹, -er ¹

Origin of tucker²

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; tuck ¹ + -er ⁶

Explanation

As a noun, a tucker is either someone who sews tiny pleats in fabric or an old-fashioned fabric insert in the neck of a dress. As an informal verb, tucker means "exhaust or tire." If you're a tucker, you're a sewer or a stitcher. And if you wear an antique dress, it may have a tucker made of lace or linen that's sewn into its neckline. These days, you're more likely to hear tucker used as a verb. A long day at the zoo may tucker out your four-year-old cousin. Experts believe that this New England slang might stem from tucker, an informal verb used to mean "exhaust a dog."

Example Sentences

The bank named Brendan Nelson as chairman in December after his predecessor, Mark Tucker, stepped down at the end of September and joined Hong Kong insurer AIA.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

US country singer Tucker Wetmore has said the rest of the world is "catching up" with how great the genre is, on his first full headline tour outside America.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Buckley Carlson who has been working as Vance’s deputy press secretary, even as Tucker Carlson’s public criticism of the war has grown louder.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

Roberts flipped Tucker with Freddie Freeman in the batting order, moving Freeman up to second and dropping Tucker to fourth and saying Freeman and Tucker would remain in those spots “for the foreseeable future.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

“Anyway,” Tucker said, “weeknights aren’t nearly as bad as weekends.”

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Related Words

• drain
• fatigue
• frazzle
• impoverish
• overwork
• sap
• tire out
• use up
• weaken
• wear out
• weary