What does arsed mean?
'Arsed' is the past-tense form of the informal British verb 'arse', best known through the ubiquitous negative idiom 'can't be arsed', which means 'can't be bothered' — lacking the energy, enthusiasm, or willingness to undertake a task. Saying 'I couldn't be arsed to go out last night' signals a candid, often humorous admission of apathy rather than genuine inability. The word is firmly informal and mildly vulgar, drawing its force from 'arse', the British term for the buttocks, and it is largely confined to British and Irish English; American equivalents use 'assed'. Beyond the verbal idiom, 'arsed' surfaces adjectivally in compounds such as 'half-arsed', describing work done with minimal effort or care. Its expressive economy has made it a staple of casual conversation, comedy, and social media, where it neatly captures a very modern mood of affectionate laziness.
(Chiefly in negative constructions) to bother or make the effort to do something: 'I can't be arsed.'
"He couldn't be arsed to get off the sofa for the remote."
Vulgar slang; used almost exclusively in the negative or interrogative.
(In compounds such as 'half-arsed') done or made with inadequate effort, care, or quality.
"That was a half-arsed attempt at an apology."
Always part of a compound; never stands alone as a simple adjective.
In Britain, the strongest barrier between you and the gym isn't distance or cost — it's whether you can be 'arsed'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arsed
'Arse' derives from the Old English 'ærs', meaning the buttocks, which is cognate with German 'Arsch' and related forms across the Germanic languages. The verb 'arse' developed later in colloquial British English, giving rise to idioms like 'arse about' (to mess around) and the negative construction 'can't be arsed' (to not be bothered). The spelling variant 'ass' arose in American English under influence from the animal name, splitting the two major dialects' spellings of the word.
Related word forms
How arsed is actually used
Strongly informal and mildly vulgar; avoid in professional or formal writing. Almost exclusively British and Irish English — American speakers say 'assed' instead. It appears almost entirely in negative or interrogative constructions ('can't be arsed', 'could you be arsed?').
Easily confused with arsed
'Asked' is the past tense of the verb 'to ask' (to pose a question), while 'arsed' is vulgar slang relating to making an effort or bothering to do something.