shtick
Americannoun
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(especially in comic acting) a routine or piece of business inserted to gain a laugh or draw attention to oneself.
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one's special interest, talent, etc.
noun
Etymology
Origin of shtick
First recorded in 1955–60; from Yiddish shtik “pranks, whims,” literally, “piece,” from Middle High German stücke, Old High German stucki ( German Stück ); cf. stucco
Explanation
Your shtick is the particular gimmick or act you like to perform — it's your theme. After dinner parties, your shtick might be showing everyone your pet cobra. A comedian or performer often has a shtick, which becomes the trick, song, or joke that people associate with her specifically. A clown's shtick could be falling flat on his back, and a pop star's shtick might be sticking out her tongue. In Yiddish, a shtik is "an act or gimmick," or sometimes "a trick or a prank." Literally, the word means "a little piece" or "a slice," from Middle High German stücke, "piece."
Vocabulary lists containing shtick
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 guy who only knows how to go for broke, and always doubles down when things go wrong, has to stick to his guns or the whole shtick unravels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2026
Musk’s time at the agency was tumultuous, as the political novice quickly realized that insiders were not impressed by his chainsaw-wielding shtick.
From Salon ● Dec. 10, 2025
Other parts of Mr. Carlson’s shtick fall apart on examination.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
“How does Mike find himself within his love of Neil? It took me a second to find him and lose my shtick, because I’m a performer too.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025
Faith you've larnt the half av your lesson, Sorr," sez I, "but av you shtick to the Rig'lations you'll niver get thim in-ship at all, at all.
From Soldiers Three by Kipling, Rudyard
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.
