General
sad sack
What does sad sack mean?
Someone gloomy and defeated in demeanor.
"He moped around like a sad sack after the team lost."
Origin
American military slang of the early 1940s, derived from a cruder GI phrase and immortalized by Sergeant George Baker's 'Sad Sack' comic strip in Yank magazine. It crossed into civilian use to mean any hopeless unfortunate.
Frequently asked questions
What does sad sack mean?
A hapless, unlucky, bumbling person — originally an inept soldier.
Where did sad sack come from?
From 1940s U.S. Army slang, made famous by George Baker's 'Sad Sack' comic strip in the wartime magazine Yank.
Is sad sack offensive?
It's mild and usually affectionate or teasing rather than cruel.
Is it still used?
Yes — it survives as a common term for a gloomy or luckless person.
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