English · Word Candidate

Sherman

/ˈʃɜː(ɹ)mən/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: Shermans

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A Sherman tank, main Allied battle tank in World War II; Named after American general William Tecumseh Sherman. Coined by British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in 1942.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An official refusal to serve in public office or similar; a Shermanesque statement. Named after American general William Tecumseh Sherman, who famously refused.

NounRegister: informal

Examples

A lot of photographers nominated the printers, who promptly pulled a Sherman. Granted, some printers, typically of the smaller variety or those who had existing departments, answered their party's call. More did not.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “Sherman” mean?

A Sherman tank, main Allied battle tank in World War II; Named after American general William Tecumseh Sherman. Coined by British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in 1942.

Is “Sherman” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.