couch potato

American  

noun

1. Informal.  a person whose leisure time is spent watching television.

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couch potato British  

noun

1. slang  a lazy person whose recreation consists chiefly of watching television and videos

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Usage

What does couch potato mean? Couch potato is a slang term for a person who spends a lot of time sitting on the couch watching TV or otherwise lazily lounging and loafing around.Couch potato is often used in a mildly negative way to criticize a person for spending too much time doing this instead of doing more productive activities. But it can also be used in a more neutral way. For example, someone might say they like to relax by spending the weekend as a couch potato.Example: You kids should go outside and play once in a while instead of spending the whole summer watching TV and being couch potatoes!

Etymology

Origin of couch potato

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

With talk of welfare queens, couch potatoes, the idle poor and a culture of poverty, the “taxpayer vs. taker” paradigm continues to play well with the GOP’s base.

From Salon

Von Scherler Mayer reveres Mary’s youth and vitality while celebrating what would be the dying gasp of an era, telegraphing the ways of Mary’s life to even the most oblivious couch potato.

From Salon

“You have permission to be a couch potato, as long as you have electricity so you can watch the tube,” Wexler said.

From Los Angeles Times

If given the option, do you think Striker, the main dog in your book, would opt for a couch potato life if the option had presented itself early?

From Salon

In turn, others appeared to be arrhythmic "couch potatoes" that were only occasionally active -- plus, there were various "shades of grey" between these two extremes.

From Science Daily