schmuck
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of schmuck
First recorded in 1890–95, schmuck is from the Yiddish word shmok (vulgar) literally, “penis” (of uncertain origin)
Compare meaning
How does schmuck compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A schmuck is a loser, idiot, or jerk. This Yiddish word is a little old-fashioned and not very harsh. If you've ever felt like a dummy or sucker, you've felt like a schmuck. This is one of many Yiddish words for "jerk" or "idiot" that are common in English, including schmo, schlub, schlemiel, and schnook. Old-fashioned and kind of unusual, schmuck is probably one of the least mean ways to call someone a loser.
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.
“They think, ‘I’m the only schmuck that feels this bad,’ and never get the corrective feedback that depression is like the common cold of mental illness.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
“If you don’t want to make a difference, why are you running? Let some other schmuck do it.”
From Slate • Jul. 10, 2025
"They called me the schmuck from Hanover," he laughs.
From BBC • Aug. 19, 2023
“I often think if I’d asked, now we’d have two kids and a house. Instead, I’m some schmuck who’s alone in his house at fifty-three.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2022
“You’ve been making a schmuck out of yourself for years, Nate,” Libby says.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
