Meanings
- humorousBetter than nothing; not unsatisfactory but also not a reason for enthusiastic excitement.
Mr. Cuomo described the Dinkins endorsement as politically significant, but it is unclear just how much it matters. . . . "Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick," to borrow one of the former Mayor's favorite maxims.
1994 October 7, Todd S. Purdum, “The 1994 Campaign: After Wary Weeks, Dinkins Announces Support for Cuomo”, in New York Times, retrieved 13 Sep 2015Synonyms: better than a kick in the teeth, better than a poke in the eye, better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick, better than a poke in the eye with a rusty nail, better than a poke in the eye with a shitty stick
Synonyms & antonyms
phraseBetter than nothing; not unsatisfactory but also not a reason for enthusiastic excitement.
Translations
Czech lepší než drátem do oka.
- lepší než drátem do oka.better than nothing
Italian meglio di un pugno in un occhio
- meglio di un pugno in un occhiobetter than nothing
Cite this entry
better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20than%20a%20poke%20in%20the%20eye%20with%20a%20sharp%20stick
“better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20than%20a%20poke%20in%20the%20eye%20with%20a%20sharp%20stick. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20than%20a%20poke%20in%20the%20eye%20with%20a%20sharp%20stick.
Source: better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.