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Sad sack
01
a miserable, pathetic, or ineffectual person
Informal
Offensive
Grammatical Information
animacy status
human
Composition
Compound
countable
plural form
sad sacks
What is the origin of the term "sad sack" and how is it used?
Sad sack is a slang term that appeared in mid-20th-century American English, popularized by the comic strip Sad Sack during World War II. The term literally combines "sad" with "sack," evoking the image of a limp, empty bag, to describe someone who is miserable, pathetic, or ineffectual. Historically, it was derogatory but often humorous, used to tease or poke fun at someone's incompetence or bad luck. Today it remains informal and mildly insulting, generally used in joking, casual, or lightly critical contexts rather than in serious or formal speech.
Examples
That sad sack cried when he lost the game.
