Standard Lemma guide

schmo

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʃməʊ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -əʊ

1

noun

Meaning 1

A stupid, obnoxious, pathetic, or otherwise contemptible person; a schmuck.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Jewish, US, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: alcatote, asshat, arsehole, asshole, bayard, berk, birdbrain, blither, bobchin, bonehead, bozo, buffoon, brickhead, Charlie, chucklehead, chowderhead, chump, clart, clown, der-brain, dill pickle, dim bulb, dimwit, dingleberry, dipshit, dipstick, dirtbrain, div, divvo, divvy, dolt, donk, doodle, doofus, dope, dork, dote, dotterel, dullard, dumbass, dumbbell, dumbo, dumb fuck, dummy, dunce, dunderhead, dupe, fathead, fenderhead, fiddle, fuckwit, fuzznut, geck, gig, gink, goober, gooseberry, gowk, gubbins, gump, half-baked, ha'p'orth, Homer Simpson, ignoramus, imbecile, jamoke, jerk, jerkoff, jolterhead, jolthead, juggins, jughead, knucklehead, lamebrain, mameluke (US (Italian-American), slang), maroon, meathead, mong, moron, mug, muggins, mushhead, nimrod, nincompoop, nit, nitwit, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, numskull, numps, numpty, nupson, oaf, pillock, pinhead, plonker, prat, retard, shit for brains, shithead, shitwit, schmo, schmuck, smooth brain, snapperhead, softhead, sohai, sot, stupid, sucker, thickhead, tonto, tool, tosser, tosspot, tubelight, twat, twerp, twit, wally, wantwit, wazzock, yampy, assbag, assbreath, assbucket, asschunk, asscunt, assface, assfag, assfaggot, assfuck, assfucker, asshead, assmonkey, assmouth, assmunch, assmuncher, asstard, asswagon, assweed, asswipe, bag of dicks, ball sack, ballsucker, barf bag, bastard, bitchcunt, bitchface, bitchfuck, bitchwhore, blackguard, buttface, butthead, buttmunch, buttmuncher, choad, chunderhead, chunk-blower, cockatrice, cockbag, cockbreath, cockface, cockfag, cockfuck, cockfucker, cock gobbler, cockhead, cock-knocker, cockmonger, cockmunch, cockmuncher, cocksack, cockshit, cocksuck, cocksucker, cockwad, cockwaffle, cockweasel, cockwipe, crapface, craphead, cullion, cumbucket, cum guzzler, cumrag, cumstain, cunt, cuntard, cuntass, cuntbag, cuntbiscuit, cuntbitch, cuntbreath, cuntbucket, cuntface, cuntfuck, cuntfucker, cunthead, cuntlapper, cuntlicker, cuntmuffin, cunt muncher, cuntrag, cuntshit, cuntstain, cuntsucker, cuntwad, cuntwaffle, cuntweasel, cuntweed, cuntwhacker, cuntwipe, dick, dickass, dickbag, dickbiscuit, dickbreath, dickbucket, dickface, dickfuck, dickfucker, dickhead, dicklicker, dick munch, dick muncher, dicknose, dicknut, dicksack, dickshit, dickslap, dicksneeze, dickstain, dickster, dicksucker, dicktard, dickwad, dickweasel, dickweed, dickwipe, dillweed, dipfuck, dirtbag, dirthead, dirtwad, douche, douchebag, douche boat, doucheburger, douchecanoe, douchelord, douche nozzle, douchewad, douchewagon, fag, faggot, faggotface, fuck, fuckass, fuckbag, fuckball, fuckbucket, fuckchop, fucker, fuckface, fuckhead, fucklord, fuckmitten, fuckmuffin, fucknose, fucknozzle, fuckoid, fuckrod, fuckshit, fuckstain, fuckster, fuckstick, fuckskull, fucktrumpet, fuckwaffle, fuckweed, fuckweasel, fucktard, git, hosebag, jackass, jackoff, jagoff, jagweed, jerkball, jerko, jerkwad, jerkweed, jitbag, jizzbag, knob-gobbler, knob polisher, lowlife, meanie, nark, nutsack, paddock, penishead, piece of crap, piece of garbage, piece of junk, piece of shit, piece of trash, piece of work, pile of crap, pile of shit, pig, pissbag, pissface, pisshead, pisspot, prick, prickface, prickhead, prickwad, pukeball, pukestain, pusbag, pushead, pussybreath, sack of shit, scoundrel, scum, scumbag, scumbreath, scumbug, scumbutt, scumface, scumfuck, scumhead, scumhole, scumlord, scunge, scuzz, scuzzball, scuzzbucket, scuzzoid, shitass, shitball, shitbag, shitbeast, shitbird, shitbiscuit, shitbreath, shitbucket, shitcock, shitcunt, shitdick, shiteater, shitface, shitfuck, shitfucker, shitgibbon, shitgoblin, shitguzzler, shitheap, shitheel, shithook, shitlicker, shitlord, shitmuncher, shitneck, shitnugget, shitnuts, shitpiss, shitpot, shitrag, shitsack, shitstain, shitwad, shitwaffle, shitweasel, shitweed, sleaze, sleazeball, sleazebag, sleazebucket, sleazehole, sleazewad, slimebucket, slimeface, slimehole, slimewad, snotbag, snotball, snotface, snothead, snotrag, snotwad, sourhead, squib, swine, thundercunt, turdbreath, turdface, turdhead, undesirable, vonce, wanker, wankface, wankfart, wankhead, wankpuffin, wankstain, weasel, wet wipe, absolute zero, badling, blatherskite, bugger, carrion, cipher, cockstain, crumb, custron, dandiprat, doink, drop kick, fellow, fritlag, geek, good-for-naught, good-for-nothing, gooey, hoon, lidderon, losel, loser, louse, maggot, ne'er-do-well, nobody, no-good, no-mark, nonentity, nonce, nought, nowmun, pelf, pig dog, pissant, punk, puny, quat, ramp, rinky-dink, roly-poly, scullion, shicer, slubberdegullion, sparrow-fart, streak of piss, toerag, truant, waste of space, underperson, unworthy, zero

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any average Joe; any Joe Schmoe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, derogatory, humorous, informal

Examples

  • I'm just an average schmo

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

(Yiddish) a jerk

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: schmuck, shmuck, shmo

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: jerk, dork

History

Etymology

From Yiddish, alteration of schmuck. Compare also Russian чмо (čmo, “jerk, schmuck”).

See Joe Schmoe § Etymology; schmo in this sense may well be homonymic to schmo in the sense above.