English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
Login Flashcards
noun

dork

dawk
Quiz me More like this

Dork (noun) means a socially awkward or uncool person, often with unfashionable interests — usually said affectionately rather than as a real insult. Example: “He did a happy little dance and admitted, "Yeah, I'm a total dork about trains.”

noun
1
A socially awkward or uncool person, often with unfashionable interests — usually said affectionately rather than as a real insult.
"He did a happy little dance and admitted, "Yeah, I'm a total dork about trains.""
"Only a dork would bring a briefcase to a beach party."
verb
1
To act in a clumsy, awkward, or goofy way.
"He dorked around with the karaoke machine until someone showed him how it worked."

How to use dork

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA dork is someone who's a bit uncool or awkward, usually in a harmless, even endearing way.

When to use it

Casual and generally affectionate — much milder than an insult like idiot.

Easily confused with
nerd → geek →
Common pairings
total dork such a dork dork out over something
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like dork.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice

Word forms

Plural
dorks
Third person singular
dorks
Past tense
dorked
Test yourself on “dork” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He did a happy little dance and admitted, "Yeah, I'm a total _____ about trains."

Etymology

American slang from around 1961; likely started as a softened, joking stand-in for a cruder word, later settling into its modern meaning of "lovable nerd."

· First attested 1961

Class of 1961 dork joined the language around 1961.
Stalingrad
See the full Class of 1961 →

Synonyms

View more →
jerk flabbergast flabagast flabaghast gink nerd Nigel nosebleed

Antonyms

cool kid idol people person social butterfly sparkler

Related words

man god person friend hit ice throw bitch

Rhymes for dork

work cork fork pork bork Mork stork spork
See all rhymes for dork →

Frequently asked questions

What does “dork” mean?
The word “dork” means a socially awkward or uncool person, often with unfashionable interests — usually said affectionately rather than as a real insult. In plain terms, a dork is someone who's a bit uncool or awkward, usually in a harmless, even endearing way.
How do you pronounce “dork”?
“Dork” is pronounced dawk (/doɹk/ in IPA).
How do you use “dork” in a sentence?
Here is “dork” used in a sentence: “He did a happy little dance and admitted, "Yeah, I'm a total dork about trains.".”
What is another word for “dork”?
Words with a similar meaning to “dork” include flabbergast, flabagast, flabaghast, gink, nerd and Nigel.
What is the opposite of “dork”?
The opposite of “dork” — its antonyms — are cool kid, idol, people person, social butterfly and sparkler.
What part of speech is “dork”?
Depending on how it is used, “dork” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “dork” come from?
The word “dork” dates back to around 1961. American slang from around 1961; likely started as a softened, joking stand-in for a cruder word, later settling into its modern meaning of "lovable nerd.".
How many meanings does “dork” have?
“Dork” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a socially awkward or uncool person, often with unfashionable interests — usually said affectionately rather than as a real insult.

People also searched

man god person friend hit ice throw bitch