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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lame
Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
That role is currently filled by Kevin O’Toole, a longtime New Jersey politico, who was nominated and approved for another six-year term last month in the waning, lame-duck weeks of former New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s term.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Seems like a lame upgrade, but there is a lot to be said for this one being a consolidator.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
The show could still include a government subplot, maybe some shadowy investigators poking their noses around, but as it was written, the military was just unforgivably lame.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
His other go-to bogeyman, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, is now firmly in his lame-duck era as his term ends this spring.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
Your ultra-lame social media posts (with awful production values) don’t cut it by a Colorado mile high.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
There's nothing watery, limp, or lame about an onion boil.
—Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
And unlike other bread lames that don’t conceal the razor, this one opens and closes for maximum safety.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2024
The question is, then, how can two lames convince the girls to look their way?
—Vulture, 6 June 2023
Adjective
With about a year left until the next mayoral election, the attacks from Johnson’s opponents attempting to preemptively paint him as a lame-duck mayor could also turn off candidates worried about job stability, but their contract specifics would vary by agency.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
That role is currently filled by Kevin O’Toole, a longtime New Jersey politico, who was nominated and approved for another six-year term last month in the waning, lame-duck weeks of former New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s term.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Seems like a lame upgrade, but there is a lot to be said for this one being a consolidator.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
The show could still include a government subplot, maybe some shadowy investigators poking their noses around, but as it was written, the military was just unforgivably lame.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
His other go-to bogeyman, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, is now firmly in his lame-duck era as his term ends this spring.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
Your ultra-lame social media posts (with awful production values) don’t cut it by a Colorado mile high.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Additional accessories High-end proofing baskets can come with many other helpful accessories like scrapers, bonus lames and even instructional e-books or DVDs.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
There's nothing watery, limp, or lame about an onion boil.
—Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
And unlike other bread lames that don’t conceal the razor, this one opens and closes for maximum safety.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2024
The question is, then, how can two lames convince the girls to look their way?
—Vulture, 6 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lame
Adjective
-
Mercy came via a bye week, the pitiful Raiders and an inept Cowboys defense.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Letting this get past the March 6 NHL trade deadline without receiving anything in return for a pending free agent who everyone knows New York won’t re-sign would be an unacceptable outcome.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The abuse these children suffered in both their biological and adoptive homes was tragic and unacceptable.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the current session the GOP think tank is conjuring ways to cut property tax, a move that will cripple county and city government’s capacity to provide services to their constituents.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
-
South Florida’s agricultural community is bracing for potentially freezing cold temperatures that could cripple their crops.—
Steve Maugeri,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both Szakin and Zuleta agree that walking is one of the best—and cheapest—ways to take it all in.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
-
At European resorts specifically, renting a week’s worth of gear is often cheaper (and easier) than checking your skis and boot bags onto international flights.—
Erik Buckingham,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The latest information from the National Council on Problem Gambling shows adolescent problem gambling leads to a complex mix of criminal behavior, poor academic achievement, truancy, financial problems, depression, suicide and substance abuse.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Congratulations to Umpire Engzell for being virtually the only person to call her out on her poor tennis behavior.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The radiation can incapacitate critical civilian and military electronic infrastructure.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Perhaps the principal investigator dies, or is incapacitated.—
David Seal,
STAT,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Use of dirty plastic directly To optimize the structure for real-world use, the team utilized computer simulations to identify a design with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The trucks hauling the snow frolicked in the water, sending dirty gray ripples toward me.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Mia’s giant bow dress is fabulous, but her hair is all wrong.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Which is why the reaction to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney blowing the whistle on Ole Miss coach Pete Golding for alleged tampering feels so wrong.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lame. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
