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
It’s the reminder some poor schmuck had Abilene Christian, and so we owe it to that man to properly document what happened and try our best to laugh in a way that’s comforting.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2024
"They called me the schmuck from Hanover," he laughs.
From BBC • Aug. 19, 2023
"He turned out to be the biggest schmuck I've ever met," she said.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2023
He promised me he would be there, that schmuck.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
