slouch
B2Neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
To sit, stand, or walk in a lazy, drooping, or unenergetic way, with bent shoulders and a downward tilt of the head and body.
To perform a task or role poorly, lazily, or without care; to be incompetent at something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word carries a strong connotation of laziness, poor posture, and lack of effort or care. It implies a visible physical manifestation of disengagement or low standards.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or syntactic differences. The term and its usage are identical.
Connotations
Identical connotations of laziness, poor posture, and incompetence in both varieties.
Frequency
Used with similar frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Vi (intransitive: He slouches.)Vi + PP (intransitive with prepositional phrase: She slouched in her seat.)Vi + AdvP (intransitive with adverb phrase: Don't slouch so badly.)No slouch at N/ V-ing (idiomatic noun phrase: She's no slouch at tennis.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “no slouch at (something): good or competent at something”
- “slouch hat: a soft hat with a wide, flexible brim”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically in feedback: 'He's no slouch when it comes to sales figures.'
Academic
Rare in formal texts. May appear in descriptive writing or psychology discussing posture/behaviour.
Everyday
Common as an admonition ('Don't slouch!') or description of lazy posture.
Technical
Used in ergonomics, physiotherapy, and posture-related health advice.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Try not to slouch during the video conference, it looks unprofessional.
- He slouched off to his room after the argument.
American English
- She tends to slouch in her chair when she's tired.
- The teenager slouched against the locker, looking bored.
adjective
British English
- He had a slouch posture that worried the physiotherapist.
American English
- He wore a classic slouch hat on the hike.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Sit up straight, don't slouch!
- He always slouches when he watches TV.
- She's no slouch at maths; she's the best in the class.
- The candidates slouched their way through the tedious debate, showing little enthusiasm.
- Years at a desk job had given him a permanent slouch.
- The team, once champions, now seemed to slouch metaphorically towards the end of a disappointing season.
- His intellectual slouch was more concerning than his physical one; he had stopped engaging with new ideas.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a LOUSY COUCH that makes you sink into a lazy, bad posture = SLOUCH.
Conceptual Metaphor
BAD POSTURE IS LAZINESS / LOW MORALE (e.g., 'slouching towards defeat').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'сутулиться' (to stoop) which is purely about posture. 'Slouch' includes a stronger element of laziness and attitude.
- The idiom 'no slouch at' is positive, meaning skilled. A direct translation would sound negative.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'slouch' as a transitive verb (*He slouched his shoulders). Correct: 'He slouched' or 'His shoulders were slouched.'
- Confusing 'slouch' (verb) with 'slump' (which can imply a sudden collapse or drop).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'He's no slouch at chess' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost always. As a verb, it describes undesirable posture. The exception is the positive idiom 'no slouch at...'.
Yes. 1) A person with a slouching posture. 2) An incompetent, lazy person (informal, as in 'he's no slouch'). 3) A type of hat ('slouch hat').
'Slouch' implies a habitual, lazy posture or attitude. 'Slump' often suggests a sudden collapse, decline, or a temporary period of drooping (e.g., a slump in the economy, he slumped in his chair from exhaustion).
No, it is not standard. 'Slouch' is intransitive. You can say 'He slouched,' 'His shoulders were slouched,' or 'He let his shoulders slouch.'