variants
or schmoe
as in idiot
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Recent Examples of schmo
Yet any schmo over 40 who has ever played pickup basketball, gotten back in the gym, or entered an amateur bicycle race is familiar with Vonn’s arc over the past 12 months.
—
Frederick Dreier, Outside, 9 Feb. 2026
The reality is that consumer inflation (the kind regular schmoes like us feel) was pretty mild.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Even if, again, the episode skips over the thorny question of how exactly this group of schmoes managed to cage a pure killing machine.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Wearing his uniform from Coffee High School, Hill ran 6.70 seconds to win a U.S. men’s masters indoor race against regular schmoes.
—Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Doc Odd goes against protocol, though, and saves this schmo’s life a second time in one night.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025
Listen to this article The Bo Show won’t go if Courtland’s a schmo.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2025
But even though Mickey 17 is set in outer space about 30 years from now, its hero isn’t that different from those found throughout Bong’s filmography: a working-class schmo.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Some poor schmo rotated 720 degrees sideways while losing both his skis and face planting onto the ice.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 26 Sep. 2024
Frederick Dreier, Outside, 9 Feb. 2026
The reality is that consumer inflation (the kind regular schmoes like us feel) was pretty mild.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Even if, again, the episode skips over the thorny question of how exactly this group of schmoes managed to cage a pure killing machine.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Wearing his uniform from Coffee High School, Hill ran 6.70 seconds to win a U.S. men’s masters indoor race against regular schmoes.
—Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Doc Odd goes against protocol, though, and saves this schmo’s life a second time in one night.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025
Listen to this article The Bo Show won’t go if Courtland’s a schmo.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2025
But even though Mickey 17 is set in outer space about 30 years from now, its hero isn’t that different from those found throughout Bong’s filmography: a working-class schmo.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Some poor schmo rotated 720 degrees sideways while losing both his skis and face planting onto the ice.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 26 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schmo
Noun
-
This drunk moron — quite different from his character in the novel — bears a ton of blame.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Washed up, tabloid fodder, and marinating in existential malaise, Russ begins the series as a finely observed jackass who drives a Cybertruck, dabbles in crypto, and flashes a diamond earring at the club.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Still, the show never gets beyond Russ being a showboating jackass and Chad being the low-IQ projection of a showboating jackass.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There is a new lowlife generation that can’t speak without using vulgar terms.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Bert and Ernie are reduced to Pottersville lowlifes.—
Margaret Heidenry,
Vanity Fair,
24 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
So a lot of the counterintelligence training that's given to the troops, the officers, the defense contractors, a lot of it is kind of like, don't be naive, don't be a dolt, in short.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Most apartment buildings, basic or deluxe, barely qualify as architecture at all, not because they are designed by dolts but because developers (and the zoning code) demand a crushing efficiency.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The elegant sets and lavish costume designs are stunning, as is Jacob Elordi's multi-faceted performance as the intelligent wretch stitched together from corpses.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Her expressions, her movements, her delivery — all of it makes Carol more complex than just a miserable wretch.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Don't let the simple name of this recipe fool you—this casserole is surprisingly complex.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
-
My group Unleash Prosperity warned repeatedly during the Biden years that the auto industry was sowing the seeds of its own destruction by getting hooked on the fool’s profits of taxpayer handouts for EVs.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sure, the Oscar-winning makeup helps transform the actor into Cheney, but the voice and petulance are all Bale, whose conjuring of this scoundrel ought to trigger PTSD for anyone who survived the Dubya years.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
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Political leaders who encourage or tolerate such scoundrels should be driven from office.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jane Austen wrote takedowns of this kind of ninny two centuries ago — how fun to see Pike update her twit to the post-Y2K era.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2024
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Kopas, who wisely eschews hamming, makes Frank a spry, eloquent presence, although more dourness in the play’s initial scenes might help his character stand out from the salon’s cheerful ninnies.—
Celia Wren,
Washington Post,
4 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Schmo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schmo. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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