Meaning & use
slouched
Last updated
“slouched” is a form of “slouch”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Sitting, standing, or walking with the body bent forward and the shoulders hanging down in a loose, lazy way.
Grammar: Describes a person's posture or position; used before a noun or after a linking verb like be, sit, or stand.
Patterns
- be slouched in something
- sit slouched
- a slouched figure
He was slouched in his chair, staring at his phone.
The students sat slouched over their desks, tired after the long exam.
A slouched figure in a dark coat waited at the bus stop.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Past tense and past participle of slouch: sat, stood, or moved with the shoulders and head drooping forward.
Grammar: This is the -ed form of the verb slouch; it can be used with or without an object, often followed by a preposition like in, over, or along.
Patterns
- slouched in something
- slouched over something
- slouched along
She slouched in the armchair and closed her eyes.
The boys slouched along the corridor, hoping to be late for class.
He had slouched through the whole meeting without saying a word.
Word forms
| base form | slouch |
|---|---|
| third person singular | slouches |
| past tense | slouched |
| past participle | slouched |
| -ing form | slouching |
Common combinations
- slouched in a chair
- He was slouched in a chair by the window.
- slouched over a desk
- She sat slouched over a desk, reading her notes.
- slouched posture
- His slouched posture made him look shorter.
- slouched shoulders
- Her slouched shoulders showed how tired she was.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hunched
- Suggests the back is rounded and the shoulders are pulled up, often because of cold or concentration, while slouched suggests a lazy, relaxed droop.
- stooped
- Often used for a permanent bending forward, especially with age; slouched is usually a temporary, careless position.
- drooping
- Describes something hanging down loosely, like a flower or a head; slouched is used mainly for a person's whole body.
Opposites
Word family
- slouch verb
- To sit, stand, or move with the shoulders hanging forward.
- slouch noun
- A lazy, drooping way of standing or sitting, or an incompetent person (informal).
- slouchy adjective
- Loose and drooping in style, often used about clothes.
- slouching noun
- The act or habit of standing or sitting with a drooping posture.
Commonly confused: slouched or slouched vs. sloshed?
slouched vs slouched vs. sloshed
Sloshed means drunk (informal) or splashed with liquid; slouched is about posture. They sound similar but are unrelated.
Practice
Choose the correct word: After the long hike, everyone was ___ around the campfire.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'slouched' fits because the sentence describes a finished state after the hike. 'Slouching' would need a helping verb like 'was slouching' to show ongoing action, and 'slouch' or 'slouches' do not fit the past time frame.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slouched”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.