lame

1 of 5

adjective

ˈlām 

lamer; lamest

1

a

dated, now usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : unable or only partially able to use a body part and especially a limb

b

: marked by stiffness and soreness

2

: not strong, good, or effective : lacking necessary or desirable substance : weak, ineffectual

3

slang : boring, foolish, or unsophisticated

4

slang

a

: inferior

b

: contemptible, nasty

lamely adverb

lameness noun

Usage of Lame

Lame was formerly common as a descriptor of any person or animal lacking full use of a part of the body and especially a limb. Over the course of the 20th century, however, numerous disparaging uses of lame became common, making the neutral medical uses as applied to people increasingly offensive. Lame is no longer applied to people in medical contexts, and the disparaging uses, as in "a lame excuse," "he's so lame," "a lame party," and "lame jokes," are occasionally considered to be offensive as well. The use of lame in reference to animals remains common and is not usually regarded as offensive.

lame

2 of 5

verb

lamed; laming; lames

transitive verb

1

: to seriously injure a leg or part of a leg

a horse lamed by barbed wire

Note: Use of this sense in reference to people is now considered offensive.

2

dated : to make weak or ineffective

lame

3 of 5

noun (1)

1

the lame dated, now usually offensive : people who are unable or only partially able to use a body part and especially a limb

providing care for the sick and the lame

2

slang : a boring, foolish, or unsophisticated person

lame

4 of 5

noun (2)

ˈlām  ˈlam 

1

: a thin plate especially of metal : lamina

2

lames plural : small overlapping steel plates joined to slide on one another (as in medieval armor)

lamé

5 of 5

noun (3)

la·​mé lä-ˈmā 

la-

: a brocaded clothing fabric made from any of various fibers combined with tinsel filling threads

Synonyms

Adjective

• cheap
• contemptible
• cruddy
• deplorable
• despicable
• dirty
• grubby
• lousy
• mean
• nasty
• paltry
• pitiable
• pitiful
• ratty
• scabby
• scummy
• scurvy
• sneaking
• sorry
• wretched

Verb

• cripple
• disable
• incapacitate
• maim
• mutilate

Examples of lame in a Sentence

Adjective

The horse had gone lame, and it grew lamer.

The accident left him lame for life.

He offered a lame apology for his actions.

She's nice, but her boyfriend is really lame.

Verb

we were afraid that the horse would be lamed by its horrible fall

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame. —Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021

My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame. —Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020

To put it in a different way, my life is pretty lame [laughs]. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023

Well, this is so lame, but I'm almost finished watching The Sopranos for the very first time ever. —Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 12 Oct. 2022

Verb

And unlike other bread lames that don’t conceal the razor, this one opens and closes for maximum safety. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Verb, and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English lama; akin to Old High German lam lame, Lithuanian limti to break down

Noun (2)

Middle French, from Latin lamina

Noun (3)

French

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lame

• lame duck
• the lame

Kids Definition

lame

1 of 2 adjective

ˈlām 

lamer; lamest

1

a

: having a body part and especially an arm or a leg disabled enough so as to be unable to get around without pain or difficulty

—used especially in the past and now considered offensive when used of a person

b

: being stiff and sore

a lame shoulder

2

: not very convincing : weak

a lame excuse

lamely adverb

lameness noun

lame

2 of 2 verb

lamed; laming

: to impair physically so that getting around can only be done with pain or difficulty

Medical Definition

lame

adjective

ˈlām 

dated, now usually offensive

: unable or only partially able to use a body part and especially a limb

Note: Lame was formerly common as a descriptor of any person or animal lacking full use of a part of the body. Over the course of the 20th century, however, numerous disparaging uses of lame became common, making the neutral medical use as applied to people increasingly offensive. Lame is no longer applied to people in medical contexts, but the use of lame in reference to animals remains common and is not usually regarded as offensive.