sad sack

noun

US, informal
: a blundering, inept person
… a sad sack so unlucky in love that when his girlfriend splits, his family sides with her.Rand Richards Cooper
sad-sack adjective

Examples of sad sack in a Sentence

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.
The Slip concerns sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein, a dumpy sad sack who, after getting into a fight at school, is sent to live with his uncle in Austin for the summer of 1998. Lucas Schaefer june 13, Literary Hub, 13 June 2025 Mickey 17: Plot, Cast, Run Time Directed by Bong Joon Ho (Parasite, Okja) and set in the near future, Mickey 17 follows Mickey Barnes, a down on his luck sad sack who escapes Earth after getting into trouble with a loan shark. Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025 In early Whispering Pines, Cynthia was a sad sack who wore garments embedded with medical devices that Moulton had made. Jillian Steinhauer, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2024 Yet sad sack Syril somehow became a fan favorite… due in no small part to his unique relationships with both his girlfriend and his mother Eedy (Kathryn Hunter). Dalton Ross, EW.com, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sad sack

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sad sack was in 1942

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sad sack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sad%20sack. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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