What does "duffer" mean?
An incompetent, indolent, or clumsy person.
Duffer
/ˈdʌfɚ/ adj, name, noun, slang
adj, name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An incompetent, indolent, or clumsy person.
- Grammar: duffer is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: amateur, arab, blockhead, blunderer.
- Useful contrasts: ace, adept, expert.
- Usage evidence: Being at the concert hall full of young kids made an old duffer like me feel out of tune.
How to use "duffer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "duffer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "duffer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "duffer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "duffer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "duffer" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amateur" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "duffer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An incompetent, indolent, or clumsy person. informal
"Besides, I was anxious to take the wheel, the man in pink pyjamas showing himself a hopeless duffer at the business."
- 2 an incompetent or clumsy person wordnet
- 3 A player having little skill, especially a golfer who duffs.
- 4 A pedlar or hawker, especially one selling cheap or substandard goods. archaic
"Among them are several distinct and peculiar street-characters, such as the pack-men, who carry their cotton or linen goods in packs on their backs, and are all itinerants. Then there are duffers, who vend pretended smuggled goods, handkerchiefs, silks, tobacco or cigars; also, the sellers of sham sovereigns and sham gold rings for wagers."
- 5 Cheap or substandard goods sold by a duffer. archaic
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 Anything substandard, such as a counterfeit or a defective instance. archaic
- 7 A cow that does not produce milk or produces substantially less than her peers do. dated
"We have some good cows in this State, but, unfortunately, we have too many duffer cows that are not only being fed and milked at a loss but are eating up a portion of the profit of the good cow which is being milked alongside them."
- 8 A cattle thief or thief of other livestock; one who alters the brands of cattle. Australia, dated
"Judy was an associate (‘stud’) of a Whitefella cattle duffer named Brigalow Bill (aka WJJ Ward)."
- 9 A racing pigeon that does not perform well.
- 10 Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Discophora.
Adjective
- 1 comparative form of duff: more duff comparative, form-of
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"Being at the concert hall full of young kids made an old duffer like me feel out of tune."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "duffer"?
Common synonyms include: amateur, arab, blockhead, blunderer, boob, buffoon.
How do you use "duffer" in a sentence?
Being at the concert hall full of young kids made an old duffer like me feel out of tune.
How do you pronounce "duffer"?
Pronounced /ˈdʌfɚ/.
Etymology
Cognate with duff, which see (origin is uncertain).