jackass

noun

jack·​ass ˈjak-ˌas How to pronounce jackass (audio)
1
: donkey
especially : a male donkey
2
: a stupid, annoying, or detestable person
… the weird thing about charisma is that trying to be charismatic backfires. By trying to be charismatic, you come off like a jackass.Zoë Chance
If you asked me ten years ago, I would have said, "Hell no, I'm not a Caribbean writer! I'm a writer." Now, I'm like, "That guy was a jackass. Don't listen to him!" Of course, I'm a Caribbean writer.Marlon James
This episode is the story of a real jackass abuser who literally bullies an entire town in Missouri for decades.smilepolitely.com

Examples of jackass in a Sentence

Some jackass spilled his drink on my shoes. only a jackass would dive into a lake without first checking to see how deep the water is
Recent Examples on the Web And that one guy who gets that — John: One jackass. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023 The literal president, Barack Obama, had called him a jackass. Taffy Brodesser-Akner, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023 There is something new, though, about doing so while also being honest with your preconceptions about the restaurant and its clientele; to do so is to risk coming off like a jackass in the process. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 12 Sep. 2023 Working with her are an assortment of flight attendants and crew, as well as passengers — Ryan, widowed in the crash; Andy, the resident jackass; an elderly couple, Ira and Ruth; and Maia, a girl roughly Shannon’s age. Books Summer’s big thriller goes from LAX to JFK. Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2023 Are you allowed to be a jackass in Brazil? Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Mar. 2023 Any jackass can sell a $12 quality hamburger. Alicia Kelso, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2021 As for the jackass penguins themselves? Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2020 A month later, Mother Nature took pains to make DeSantis look like a jackass. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jackass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jackass was in 1727

Dictionary Entries Near jackass

Cite this Entry

“Jackass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackass. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

jackass

noun
jack·​ass ˈjak-ˌas How to pronounce jackass (audio)
1
: donkey sense 1
especially : a male donkey
2
: a stupid person : fool
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