What does "lame" mean?
A stupid or undesirable person.
Lame
adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·1 syllable ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A stupid or undesirable person.
- Grammar: lame is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abortive, awkward, bad, batter.
- Useful contrasts: massive, sweet, witty.
- Usage evidence: I don't want to be lame; I want to be cool!!
How to use "lame"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lame" 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 "lame" 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 "lame" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lame" 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 "lame" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, 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 "abortive" 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 "lame", 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 A stupid or undesirable person. slang
"You lames tryna clone my style and run wit it."
- 2 A thin layer or plate of material, as in certain kinds of armor.
"This rim involved a raised rolled edge on the rerebrace that was inserted into a raised lip on the lower lame of the pauldron. This lip allows the arm to rotate without the need for leather straps and can be clearly seen carved on to the effigy […]"
- 3 a fabric interwoven with threads of metal wordnet
- 4 A set of joined overlapping metal plates. in-plural
- 5 someone who doesn't understand what is going on wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A kitchen tool for scoring bread dough before baking.
Verb
- 1 To cause (a person or animal) to become lame. transitive
"And if you don't want to lame your horse, you must look sharp and get them [stones stuck in hooves] out quickly."
- 2 deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs. especially
"With the years, this horse has little by little gone lame."
- 2 Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs.; That cannot be moved properly. especially
- 3 Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs.; Physically disabled. dated, especially, offensive
"a lame man"
- 4 Hobbling; limping; inefficient; imperfect. broadly, dated
"a lame endeavour"
- 5 Unconvincing or unbelievable. colloquial
"He had a really lame excuse for missing the birthday party."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Uncool, uninteresting, or unfunny. colloquial
"He kept telling these extremely lame jokes all night."
Adjective
- 1 disabled in the feet or legs wordnet
- 2 pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"I don't want to be lame; I want to be cool!!"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lame"?
Common synonyms include: abortive, awkward, bad, batter, bootless, boring.
How do you use "lame" in a sentence?
I don't want to be lame; I want to be cool!!
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English lame, from Old English lama (“lame”), from Proto-West Germanic *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz (“lame”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃lemH- (“to tire; to break”).
Etymology 2
From Middle French lame, from Latin lāmina. Doublet of lamina.