kick-ass

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Rough, aggressive; powerful and successful.

Register: slang, vulgar

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Excellent, first-class.

Register: slang, vulgar

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “kick-ass” mean?

Rough, aggressive; powerful and successful.

Is “kick-ass” formal or informal?

kick-ass is generally slang, vulgar.