schlemiel Definition
- 1an awkward and unlucky person who often spills things or is prone to accidents
- 2a person who is easily taken advantage of or is a loser
Using schlemiel: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "schlemiel" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He's such a schlemiel that he spilled coffee on his shirt again.
Example
The schlemiel always ends up paying for everyone else's mistakes.
Example
Don't be a schlemiel and let them take advantage of you like that.
schlemiel Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with schlemiel
schlemiel and schlimazel
a pair of Yiddish words used together to describe two types of people: the schlemiel, who spills soup on the schlimazel, and the schlimazel, who is the one the soup lands on
Example
In the sitcom Laverne & Shirley, Laverne was the schlemiel and Shirley was the schlimazel.
Example
A: I lost my keys again. B: Poor schlemiel, you can never catch a break.
schlemiel's walk
a walk characterized by clumsiness or awkwardness
Example
He tripped over his own feet and did the schlemiel's walk all the way to the door.
Origins of schlemiel
from Yiddish 'shlemil', meaning 'hapless fellow'
Summary: schlemiel in Brief
'Schlemiel' [shl uh -meel] refers to an awkward and unlucky person who is prone to accidents or is easily taken advantage of. It is often used in phrases like 'schlemiel and schlimazel,' which describe two types of people, and 'poor schlemiel,' which expresses sympathy for someone who is hapless or unlucky.
