schmuck

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

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A jerk; a person who is unlikable, detestable, or contemptible because they are stupid, foolish, clumsy, oafish, inept, malicious, or unpleasant.

Register: derogatory, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

One day my girlfriend, her boyfriend and I were sunbathing topless because that's Barbados - you can wear nothing if you want. And the Pepsi guy walks up and with my agent to meet us for lunch. I wondered if I should put on my top because I have a business relationship with him. I didn't want him to

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

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

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A deplorable, pitiful person.

Register: derogatory, slang

Sources & notes

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

Common questions

What does “schmuck” mean?

A jerk; a person who is unlikable, detestable, or contemptible because they are stupid, foolish, clumsy, oafish, inept, malicious, or unpleasant.

Is “schmuck” formal or informal?

schmuck is generally derogatory, slang.