dork

noun

\ ˈdȯrk

Definition of dork

slang

: nerd looked like a dork in that sweater also : jerk sense 1a Stop acting like a dork.

Synonyms Of Nerds, Geeks, and Dorks More Example Sentences Learn More about dork

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Synonyms for dork

Synonyms

bookworm, dink [slang], geek, grind, nerd, swot [British], weenie, wonk

Of Nerds, Geeks, and Dorks

Dork, when used to refer to a socially awkward or inept person, is a relatively recent word: our records indicate that it first appeared in writing in the 1960s. Two of its synonyms in this sense are likewise of fairly recent vintage. Nerd (typically used of a studious species of dork) dates from the 1950s; it was coined by Dr. Seuss in his 1950 book If I Ran the Zoo, although not in the sense that we use today. Geek became synonymous with nerd in the 1950s. Prior to this, the word referred to, among other things, a carnival performer who would bite the head off a live chicken, or other small animal, as part of an act.

Examples of dork in a Sentence

I look like a complete dork in these clothes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Joana was more like the kid waving her arms like a dork and dancing along to the music with her friends. — cleveland.com, "Joana Ceddia got famous on YouTube for being a normal teen, and she’s trying to stay that way," 18 July 2019 Instagram is this fun, dumb thing to be a little bit of a dork on and to kind of promote the movie. — Randy Cordova, azcentral, "'The Art of Self-Defense' filmmaker Riley Stearns talks toxic masculinity and tattoos," 18 July 2019 Joana was more like the kid waving her arms like a dork and dancing along to the music with her friends. — Abby Ohlheiser, Washington Post, "Joana Ceddia got famous on YouTube for being a normal teen. She’s trying to stay that way.," 17 July 2019 Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies: The draft dorks who gushed over Clarke’s ultraefficient play at Gonzaga left Las Vegas feeling fully vindicated. — Ben Golliver, The Denver Post, "Zion Williamson hardly played, but these rookies stood out at NBA Summer League," 15 July 2019 His style, with its healthy punch of dork factor, is of the now in a way that is similar to Post Malone’s very self-aware, disheveled, sleazy look. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Bad Bunny Is the Goofy Fashion Heartthrob We Need Now," 28 Nov. 2018 The surviving twin, Will (the beautiful and hilarious Cole Allen), treats his dad like a dork. — John Anderson, WSJ, "‘Kidding’ Review: Adult Emotions on Children’s TV," 13 Sep. 2018 Writing down the jokes can’t translate their onstage effectiveness as a litany of Dadaist dork humor, but here are a few: There’s a dead cat. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Gettin’ the Band Back Together is a giant musical comedy dad joke. To hate it is to hate joy.," 28 Aug. 2018 To see this brand-new stretch of ocean, the deep-sea team is sending a craft full of high-tech touchscreens and a three-strong crew of joke-cracking dorks. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "The Meg film review: We’re going to need a stupider boat," 10 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dork.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.