noun · verb · 11 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.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈslɐʊ̯t͡ʃ/Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈslɜʊ̯t͡ʃ/Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈslʌʊ̯t͡ʃ/Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈsləʊ̯t͡ʃ/Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈslæʊ̯t͡ʃ/Southern US, Midland US, Mid-Atlantic US, New York City, Australian, New Zealand, /aʊ̯/-fronting
[ˈslæʊ̯t͡ʃ]Southern US, Midland US, Mid-Atlantic US, New York City, Australian, New Zealand, /aʊ̯/-fronting
/ˈslaːt͡ʃ/Pittsburgh, General South African, /aʊ̯/-monophthongization
[ˈslaːt͡ʃ]Pittsburgh, General South African, /aʊ̯/-monophthongization
rhymes with -aʊtʃ
CMU ARPABET:S L AW1 CH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A hanging down of the head; a drooping posture; a limp appearance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He sat with an unenthusiastic slouch.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Any depression or hanging down, as of a hat brim.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The plant hung in a permanent slouch.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Someone who is slow to act.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: idler, loafer, laggard, underachiever
Antonyms: achiever, go-getter
4
noun
Meaning 4
An awkward, heavy, clownish fellow.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To hang or droop; to adopt a limp posture
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Do not slouch when playing a flute.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: stoop, droop, loll, slump
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To walk in a clumsy, lazy manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
I slouched to the fridge to see if there was anything to eat.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To cause to hang down or droop; to depress.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sag
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
a stooping carriage in standing and walking
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: carriage, bearing, posture
9
noun
Meaning 9
an incompetent person; usually used in negative constructions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he's no slouch when it comes to baseball
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: incompetent, incompetent person
10
verb
Meaning 10
walk slovenly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: walk
11
verb
Meaning 11
assume a drooping posture or carriage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slump
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sag, droop, swag, flag
History
Etymology
Unclear. Perhaps from Middle English slugge, from Old Norse slókr (“lazy fellow”). See also Swedish sloka (“to slouch, wilt”), related to Swedish slak (“slack, soft and flexible”) and Latin laxus (“loose, slack”).
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
отпуснатост
(otpusnatost)
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Chinese Cantonese:
寒背
(hon4 bui3)
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Czech:
hrbení se
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Finnish:
roikottaminen
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Finnish:
kyyhöttäminen
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Finnish:
velttous
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Finnish:
vetelyys
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
German:
herumlungern
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
German:
herumhängen
— hanging down of the head, a drooping posture; limp appearance
Finnish:
lerpahdus
— any depression or hanging down
Finnish:
roikkuminen
— any depression or hanging down
German:
Durchhänger
— any depression or hanging down
Finnish:
vetelys
— someone who is slow to act
Finnish:
vätys
— someone who is slow to act
German:
Schlafmütze
— someone who is slow to act
Russian:
тормоз
(tormoz)
— someone who is slow to act
