schlep
Schlep (verb) means to carry or drag something heavy, or to make a tiring journey. Example: “We had to schlep our suitcases up four flights of stairs.”
How to use schlep
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo haul something heavy around, or a tiresome trip.
Informal, originally Yiddish slang, now common in everyday American English.
Word forms
schlepped past tense, schleps plural, schleps singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We had to _____ our suitcases up four flights of stairs.
Etymology
From Yiddish shlepn ("to drag"), from Middle High German slepen.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “schlep” mean?
The word “schlep” means to carry or drag something heavy, or to make a tiring journey. In plain terms, to haul something heavy around, or a tiresome trip.
How do you pronounce “schlep”?
“Schlep” is pronounced shlehp (/ʃlɛp/ in IPA).
How do you use “schlep” in a sentence?
Here is “schlep” used in a sentence: “We had to schlep our suitcases up four flights of stairs.”
What part of speech is “schlep”?
Depending on how it is used, “schlep” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “schlep” come from?
The word “schlep” comes from German. From Yiddish shlepn ("to drag"), from Middle High German slepen.
How many meanings does “schlep” have?
“Schlep” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to carry or drag something heavy, or to make a tiring journey.