Meaning & use
wanker
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Meaning
nouncountablevulgarslangoffensiveBritishAustralianIrish
A vulgar slang word for a stupid, unpleasant, or self-important person.
Grammar: Countable: used as a direct insult, often with 'you' or 'that'.
Patterns
- you wanker
- that wanker
- a complete wanker
He called his boss a wanker and got fired.
That wanker just cut in front of me in the queue.
Don't be such a wanker; help me carry these bags.
Word forms
| plural | wankers |
|---|
Common combinations
- a complete wanker
- He acted like a complete wanker at the party.
- call someone a wanker
- She called him a wanker after he insulted her.
- you wanker
- "You wanker!" he shouted as the car sped away.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: wanker or wanker?
wanker vs wanker
Not to be confused with 'wanker' as a literal term for someone who masturbates; in slang it is an insult.
Practice
In which situation would you most likely hear the word 'wanker'?
Choose one answer.
Wanker is vulgar and offensive slang, used in informal and often angry situations. It would be inappropriate in formal or polite contexts like a job interview or news report.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wanker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.