Usage of Lame
Lame was formerly common as a descriptor of any person or animal lacking full use of a part of the body and especially a limb. Over the course of the 20th century, however, numerous disparaging uses of lame became common, making the neutral medical uses as applied to people increasingly offensive. Lame is no longer applied to people in medical contexts, and the disparaging uses, as in "a lame excuse," "he's so lame," "a lame party," and "lame jokes," are occasionally considered to be offensive as well. The use of lame in reference to animals remains common and is not usually regarded as offensive.
Note: Use of this sense in reference to people is now considered offensive.
Synonyms
Examples of lame in a Sentence
Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.
—Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020
To put it in a different way, my life is pretty lame [laughs].
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023
Well, this is so lame, but I'm almost finished watching The Sopranos for the very first time ever.
—Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 12 Oct. 2022
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near lame
Cite this Entry
“Lame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lame. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lame
1 of 2 adjectivelame
2 of 2 verbMedical Definition
lame
adjectiveNote: Lame was formerly common as a descriptor of any person or animal lacking full use of a part of the body. Over the course of the 20th century, however, numerous disparaging uses of lame became common, making the neutral medical use as applied to people increasingly offensive. Lame is no longer applied to people in medical contexts, but the use of lame in reference to animals remains common and is not usually regarded as offensive.
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