# slouch

/ˈsɫaʊtʃ/ (US) · /slˈaʊtʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slouch
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to sit or stand poorly

verb · CEFR B2

to sit, stand, or walk with your shoulders and head dropped forward in a lazy way.

For teachers: to adopt a drooping or limp posture while sitting, standing, or walking.

- Try not to slouch in your chair during the interview, as it looks unprofessional.
- The teenager continued to slouch against the wall, appearing entirely indifferent to the principal's stern lecture regarding his recent absences.

### 2. to walk lazily

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to walk in a slow, clumsy, or lazy manner.

For teachers: to move or walk with a heavy, clumsy, or indolent gait.

- He slouched into the room and threw his bag on the floor.
- After the defeat, the players slouched toward the locker room, their heads hanging low in disappointment.

### 3. a lazy or unskilled person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a person who is lazy or does not work hard; often used in the phrase 'no slouch'.

For teachers: an awkward, lazy, or incompetent person; most commonly encountered in the idiomatic negative 'no slouch' to indicate high competence.

- She is no slouch when it comes to math; she finished the test in ten minutes.
- Although he was new to the industry, he proved he was no slouch when it came to negotiating complex international contracts.

Usage: Usually used in the negative construction 'be no slouch at something'.

### 4. a drooping posture

noun · CEFR B2

a way of sitting or standing where your back is not straight.

For teachers: a drooping or rounded physical carriage of the body.

- His permanent slouch was the result of years spent working at a low desk.
- The physical therapist noted that the patient's habitual slouch was contributing significantly to his chronic lower back pain.

## Examples

- He was a lazy slouch who never finished his work.
- The old man was a total slouch, spending his entire day sitting on the porch without moving.
- In the Victorian era, a man who failed to maintain a firm posture or a steady work ethic was often dismissed as a slouch, reflecting the era's strict standards for physical and moral vigor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.