sad sack
Perpetually pitiful person
A sad sack is a pitiable, ineffectual person—someone who seems chronically unlucky or incapable of getting things right.
The term originated as World War II military slang and was popularized by a cartoon character of the same name.
It carries affectionate contempt rather than genuine hostility: Don't be such a sad sack—it's just a flat tire.
Defeated competitor
- patheticArousing scornful pity
- pitifulArousing sorrowful contempt
- woebegoneOvercome by grief
- hangdogShamefaced and defeated
mopey · downtrodden · schlub · schlemiel · nebbish · milquetoast · sorry · wretched
loser
Defeated competitor
hangdog · mopey · downtrodden · schlub · schlemiel · nebbish · milquetoast · sorry · wretched · miserable
incompetent
Lacking necessary skill
fumbler · blunderer · clumsy · ineffectual · maladroit · schlimazel · doofus · dolt · clod · oaf
- military slangFUBAR, hoorah, devil dog, SNAFU, GI
- unfortunatesvictims, unfortunate, wretch, poor soul, lost soul
- foolsfool, idiot, moron, fools, idiots
- personalitiesintrovert, optimist, extrovert, pessimist, idealist
- sadnesssad, unhappy, grief, sorrowful, heartbroken
- cowardscoward, chicken, wimp, milquetoast, poltroon
sad sackwinner
One who prevails
go-getter · hotshot · high achiever · achiever · dynamo
sad sackgo-getter
Ambitious, driven person
dynamo · self-starter · ball of fire · live wire · firebrand
sack, sadness, sadly, sadden, scapegoat, sacks, saddened, sadder, saddest