lame
1 of 5adjective
ˈlām 
lamer; lamest
1
a
: having a body part and especially a limb so disabled as to impair freedom of movement
The accident left him lame for life.
b
: marked by stiffness and soreness
a lame shoulder
2
: lacking needful or desirable substance : weak, ineffectual
a lame excuse
3
slang : not being in the know : square
She's cool, but her boyfriend is so lame.
4
a
: inferior
a lame school
b
: contemptible, nasty
lame racist jokes
lamely adverb
lameness noun
lame
2 of 5verb
lamed; laming
transitive verb
1
: to make lame : cripple
2
: to make weak or ineffective : disable
lame
3 of 5noun (1)
slang
: a person who is not in the know : square
lame
4 of 5noun (2)
ˈlām ˈlam
ˈlam 1
: a thin plate especially of metal : lamina
2
lames plural : small overlapping steel plates joined to slide on one another (as in medieval armor)
lamé
5 of 5noun (3)
la·mé lä-ˈmā
la-
: a brocaded clothing fabric made from any of various fibers combined with tinsel filling threads
Synonyms
Adjective
- cheap
- contemptible
- cruddy
- deplorable
- despicable
- dirty
- grubby
- lousy
- mean
- nasty
- paltry
- pitiable
- pitiful
- ratty
- scabby
- scummy
- scurvy
- sneaking
- sorry
- wretched
Verb
- cripple
- disable
- incapacitate
- maim
- mutilate
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective The horse had gone lame, and it grew lamer. The accident left him lame for life. He offered a lame apology for his actions. She's nice, but her boyfriend is really lame. Verb we were afraid that the horse would be lamed by its horrible fall
Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Verb, and Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English lama; akin to Old High German lam lame, Lithuanian limti to break down
Noun (2)
Middle French, from Latin lamina
Noun (3)
French
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (1)
1959, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
1922, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing lame
Kids Definition
lame 1 of 2
adjective
ˈlām
lamer; lamest
1
: not able to get around without pain or difficulty
a lame horse
2
: injured or sore so that walking or movement is painful or difficult
a lame leg
3
: not very convincing or effective
a lame excuse
lame
2 of 2verb
lamed; laming
: to make or become unable to get around without pain and difficulty
lamed in a fall
Medical Definition
lame
adjective
ˈlām
lamer; lamest
: having a body part and especially a limb so disabled as to impair freedom of movement : physically disabled
lame 1 of 2
adjective
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
- pitiful
- cheap
- wretched
- dirty
- disgusting
- nasty
- mean
- hateful
- sorry
- lousy
- contemptible
- sneaking
- deplorable
- pitiable
- vile
- despicable
- scabby
- ratty
- paltry
- cruddy
- grubby
- scurvy
- shameful
- odious
- disgraceful
- loathsome
- scummy
- abominable
- detestable
- repulsive
- abhorrent
- repugnant
- revolting
- execrable
- ignoble
- craven
- shabby
- ignominious
- dishonorable
- cowardly
- disreputable
- sordid
- condemnable
- discreditable
- reprehensible
- reptilian
- revulsive
- squalid
- unprincipled
- base
- dastardly
- unscrupulous
- unethical
- low
- reproachable
- censurable
- blamable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- admirable
- laudable
- meritorious
- creditable
- praiseworthy
- commendable
- noble
- honorable
- good
- honest
- moral
- scrupulous
- upright
- redoubtable
- high-minded
- reputable
- virtuous
- right
- righteous
- ethical
- principled
- right-minded
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
- unacceptable
- poor
- wrong
- pathetic
- bad
- awful
- horrible
- terrible
- flawed
- deficient
- disastrous
- wretched
- unsatisfactory
- crummy
- dreadful
- bastard
- brutal
- lousy
- substandard
- wack
- ill
- inferior
- subpar
- sour
- suboptimal
- useless
- lacking
- off
- bush
- inadequate
- paltry
- wanting
- punk
- crumby
- rotten
- from hunger
- worthless
- short
- defective
- dissatisfactory
- miserable
- gross
- below par
- bush-league
- abysmal
- stinky
- atrocious
- cheesy
- sucky
- crappy
- deplorable
- detestable
- damnable
- vile
- mediocre
- horrendous
- shoddy
- insufficient
- execrable
- faulty
- egregious
- under par
- gnarly
- odious
- trashy
- common
- unspeakable
- flagrant
- abominable
- junky
- bum
- lesser
- sleazy
- reprehensible
- shabby
- rubbishy
- skimpy
- valueless
- coarse
- scurrilous
- meager
- fake
- mean
- phony
- low-rent
- scanty
- miserly
- sham
- stingy
- villainous
- bitchin'
- second-rate
- low-grade
- cut-rate
- counterfeit
- spare
- miscreant
- phoney
- niggardly
- meagre
- skimp
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- satisfactory
- acceptable
- okay
- standard
- adequate
- decent
- fine
- tolerable
- passable
- great
- classical
- respectable
- classic
- perfect
- excellent
- superior
- noble
- better
- neat
- wonderful
- splendid
- special
- nifty
- mean
- slick
- sensational
- divine
- terrific
- prime
- marvelous
- fancy
- grand
- stellar
- marvellous
- dandy
- fabulous
- choice
- superb
- exceptional
- banner
- mediocre
- top
- sufficient
- swell
- superlative
- heavenly
- sterling
- keen
- all right
- average
- premium
- par excellence
- exceptional
- borderline
- useful
- boss
- groovy
- fair
- minimal
- unsurpassed
- OK
- worthy
- suitable
- supernal
- unexceptional
- middling
- capital
- crackerjack
- jim-dandy
- bang-up
- top-notch
- first-class
- first-rate
- so-so
- satisfying
- high-test
- gratifying
- tip-top
- high-grade
- A1
lame
2 of 2verb
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
- cripple
- wound
- incapacitate
- hurt
- scar
- disable
- damage
- bruise
- maim
- injure
- mutilate
- kill
- hobble
- hit
- paralyze
- beat
- gore
- wing
- hamstring
- torture
- slap
- bash
- maul
- whack
- mangle
- box
- lick
- sock
- smack
- kneecap
- bludgeon
- buffet
- disfigure
- pummel
- bung up
- lambaste
- bang
- belt
- thump
- dismember
- impair
- punch
- paste
- batter
- harm
- whip
- flog
- murder
- torment
- smash
- lacerate
- swipe
- hammer
- pelt
- rough (up)
- lace
- thwack
- thrash
- pound
- drub
- break
- lambast
- swat
- lash
- pommel
- spank
- wallop
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cure
- remedy
- heal
- rehabilitate
- fix
- patch
- repair
- restore
- renew
- mend
- doctor
- rejuvenate
- dead-bright
- dead-burn
- dead-cat bounce
- dead-doing
- dead-drunk
- dead-drunkenness
- dead-end
- dead-ended
- dead-endedness
- dead-ending
- dead-ends
- dead-front switchboard
- dead-leaf butterfly
- dead-man's-fingers
- dead-men's-fingers
- dead-on
- dead-rise model
- dead-roast
- dead-smooth
- dead-soft
- dead-stick landing
- dead-stroke
- dead-stroke hammer
- dead-tree
- deadbeat