slouch

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: an awkward fellow : lout
b
: one that is unimpressive
especially : a lazy or incompetent person
used in negative constructions
was no slouch at cooking
2
: a gait or posture characterized by an ungainly stooping of the head and shoulders or excessive relaxation of body muscles

slouch

2 of 2

verb

slouched; slouching; slouches

intransitive verb

1
: to walk, stand, or sit with a slouch : assume a slouch
2
: droop
3
: to go or move slowly or reluctantly

transitive verb

: to cause to droop
slouched his shoulders
sloucher noun

Examples of slouch in a Sentence

Noun She walks with a slouch. is no slouch when it comes to cooking Verb Sit up straight. Please don't slouch. She slouched into the room. The boy was slouching over his school books.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Yankee Stadium, which was rebuilt in 2009, is no slouch either. Sam Lubell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024 The compact slouch shoulder bag silhouette also offers surprisingly convenient storage, with two interior compartments and a zipper pocket for slotting in small items. Nikki Chwatt, WWD, 9 Oct. 2024
Verb
Participants who sat upright during a stressful task reported higher self-esteem, better mood and less fear compared to those who slouched and were more negative and focused on themselves. Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 And even if slouching employment among recipients did start to cause concern in a decade or two, and researchers came to suspect the child allowance was to blame, the wonderfully certain thing about public policy is that it can always be changed. Oshan Jarow, Vox, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slouch 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1515, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1754, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slouch was in 1515

Dictionary Entries Near slouch

Cite this Entry

“Slouch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slouch. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

slouch

1 of 2 noun
1
: an awkward, lazy, or unqualified person
2
: a manner of walking, sitting, or standing characterized by an awkward stooping of head and shoulders

slouch

2 of 2 verb
: to walk, sit, or stand with a slouch
sloucher noun

More from Merriam-Webster on slouch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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