goner

[ gaw-ner, gon-er ]

noun

Informal.

1. a person or thing that is dead, lost, or past recovery.

goner

/ ˈɡɒnə /

noun

1. slang.
   a person or thing beyond help or recovery, esp a person who is dead or about to die

Word History and Origins

Origin of goner¹

First recorded in 1840–50; gone + -er ¹

Example Sentences

When a tree has 25 or more exit holes, it’s probably a goner, Durbin said.

From Los Angeles Times

And they have concluded the number, but not the policy itself, is an albatross around their neck - and so it is a goner.

From BBC

I kept thinking: "If the next vehicle comes down the hill, the driver will struggle to see me and I will be a goner."

From BBC

This incoming family knows nothing of that, but already, their housecat, Cider, feels like a goner.

From Los Angeles Times

“When I saw them, I was a goner,” he swoons.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• desperate
• forlorn
• helpless
• impossible
• pointless
• sad
• tragic
• useless