1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that's a pretty lame way to treat someone
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
the amenities at this hotel are lame; there's not even free Wi-Fi in the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to cripple
to cause severe or permanent injury to
we were afraid that the horse would be lamed by its horrible fall
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lame
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
In November 2008 an errant air strike, conducted under auspices of a lame-duck Bush administration, killed 37 civilians who were at a wedding party in Wech Baghtu, Afghanistan.
—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
At supper the guides exchanged significant glances across the fire and acted like a couple of guys who have picked a lame horse.
—
Fred Bear,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
The Browns are clearly in rebuild mode, with 2026 expected to be a lame-duck season at quarterback with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting job for a season before the team uses the 2027 draft to select its latest quarterback of the future.
—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Initially blocked by recalcitrant Democratic members of the House, the legislation was reintroduced during a lame-duck session following the 2024 election.
—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Our lame-duck governor is happily corrupt and no longer answerable to Floridians.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Why should Pritzker or any Illinois politician help this lame-duck mayor?
—
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
As lame as the fact that an Erewhon smoothie costs $19 is that so many of us need to be paid to be nice to each other.
—
Swan Huntley,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
In November 2008 an errant air strike, conducted under auspices of a lame-duck Bush administration, killed 37 civilians who were at a wedding party in Wech Baghtu, Afghanistan.
—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
At supper the guides exchanged significant glances across the fire and acted like a couple of guys who have picked a lame horse.
—
Fred Bear,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
The Browns are clearly in rebuild mode, with 2026 expected to be a lame-duck season at quarterback with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting job for a season before the team uses the 2027 draft to select its latest quarterback of the future.
—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Initially blocked by recalcitrant Democratic members of the House, the legislation was reintroduced during a lame-duck session following the 2024 election.
—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Our lame-duck governor is happily corrupt and no longer answerable to Floridians.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Why should Pritzker or any Illinois politician help this lame-duck mayor?
—
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
As lame as the fact that an Erewhon smoothie costs $19 is that so many of us need to be paid to be nice to each other.
—
Swan Huntley,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lame
Adjective
-
Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers.
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Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.
Adjective
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If scar tissue is too severe, if prior surgeries have left the blood supply compromised, or if a patient's goals aren't achievable without unacceptable risk, proceeding could cause irreversible damage.
-
Yes, Stokes’ late night out, in the context of what went on before, was unacceptable.
Verb
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Attacking and denying a nation’s assets in space can cripple the effective use of weapons on the ground.
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The move on Monday marks the most sweeping rollback of American oil sanctions against Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, reversing years of pressure designed to cripple Iran's economy, and is expected to deliver billions in oil revenue for the Iranian regime.
Adjective
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The revolution won’t come cheap.
-
Across six online experiments, the researchers showed participants a cheaper lower-quality item such as a sweater alongside a pricier higher-quality version.
Adjective
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Rebecca Lowe joins Dan Patrick to discuss some of the top storylines around the World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo's poor play to start, the United States' potential and more.
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Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?
Verb
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Airbus UpNext's DragonFly project is developing AI that manages complex emergencies autonomously when the crew is incapacitated.
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According to the law enforcement investigation, Garcia activated her Taser seven times in a row in about a minute, with the State Patrol concluding that three to four of those activations occurred after Tomlinson was already incapacitated by the initial Taser deployments.
Adjective
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Those who have sustained a severe burn or dirty wound should follow up with a booster after five years, according to the CDC.
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Down Pennsylvania Avenue, a man in a karate gi, disposable gloves, and dirty white sneakers was hauling a cart by means of a homemade yoke strapped across his shoulders.
Adjective
-
Something told me that there was something wrong.
-
The interest rate hypothesis points the wrong direction — the most rate-sensitive occupations, like construction, have the lowest AI exposure.
Cite this Entry
“Lame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lame. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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