schlock
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of schlock
First recorded in 1910–15; apparently from Yiddish shlak “apoplectic stroke, evil, nuisance, wretch” (compare Middle High German slac(g) “blow”; see slay); development of the English sense is unclear
Explanation
Schlock is cheap, shoddy stuff that's for sale. You might browse through a gift shop hoping to buy the perfect memento, but find nothing but schlock. Schlock isn't made well, and it's not really worth much. It's an informal word for trashy, junky merchandise — or trashy, low-rent movies, TV shows, or other entertainment. Your grandmother might gasp, "Why are you watching that schlock?" when she sees the terrible reality show you've got on the television. The North American schlock comes from the Yiddish word shlak, "a stroke" or "junk," from the German Schlacke, "dregs," "slag," or "refuse."
Vocabulary lists containing schlock
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A master of 1940s sci-fi schlock had a plan, and it’s working.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
If you think of late-career Elvis Presley as only a plump and gaudy Las Vegas crooner slinging schlock in the 1970s, you’re about to get all shook up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
The "AI schlock", as McDonald puts it, was evidently not in Foley's "Texas singer-songwriter from the heart" style.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025
This recycled trash is no treasure, but I’m betting the majority of this redo’s audience will be young enough to find ’90s-style schlock adorably quaint.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
Throughout the film, she seems increasingly aware that there is no redeeming this steaming pile of superhero schlock and decides to lean into the absurdity.
From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2025
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
