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.
Before Jonathan died, Nancy already was a sad sack. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 Over the years, her songs have portrayed her as a bright-eyed romantic searching for The One but continually getting disappointed by men—shifty playboys or taciturn sad sacks—who don’t meet her standards. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2024 Post Malone, pop’s premier sad sack boozehound, makes his first long-form foray into pure country music. Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 16 Aug. 2024 As in most screen depictions, Louis initially comes across as a droopy sad sack with little connection to reality, ignoring the empire crumbling at his feet while hoping God will swoop down and make everything alright. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Aug. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near sad sack

Cite this Entry

“Sad sack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sad%20sack. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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