Meanings
plural schlemiels · alternative schlemihl · alternative shlemiel · alternative shlemihl
- JewishUSslangA loser or a fool.
In that series, creator/writer/star Dildarian played the titular Tim, a 20-something laconic schlemiel living in New York with his girlfriend, Amy — a “Curb Your Enthusiasm”-type existence peppered with awkward situations.
2021 September 29, Michael Starr, “Steve Dildarian returns with wry ‘Ten Year Old Tom’ on HBO Max”, in New York Post1 more example
On Jewish Heritage Day, there was ample time to debate whether the Mets are schlemiels or schlimazels with the home team down 8-1 after five. Fans were given shirts that read “Let’s Go Mets” in Hebrew, but “Oy vey!” was more appropriate.
2004 August 30, Michael Morrissey, “METS GET SLAMMED AGAIN – VENTURA GRANNY KEYS DODGER ROUT”, in New York Post - JewishUSslangA person who is clumsy or who hurts others emotionally.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Yiddishשלימיל
- Yiddishשלימיל
- Englishschlemiel
Borrowed from Yiddish שלימיל (shlimil).
More words from Yiddish
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch schlemiel
- schlemielclumsy person
Esperanto ŝlemilo
- ŝlemiloclumsy person
German Schlemihl
- Schlemihlclumsy person
Hebrew שלומיאל
- שלומיאל (shlumiél)clumsy person
Polish nieudacznik, oferma
- nieudacznikclumsy person
- ofermaclumsy person
- przegrywclumsy person
Yiddish שלימיל
- שלימיל (shlimil)clumsy person
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with schlemiel
Cite this entry
schlemiel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/schlemiel
“schlemiel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/schlemiel. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “schlemiel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/schlemiel.
Source: schlemiel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.