What does schlock mean?
Schlock is an informal North American word for merchandise that is cheap, poorly made, or otherwise not worth buying. It is strongly dismissive: calling something schlock implies that it is shoddy and unlikely to satisfy the purchaser. The noun may refer collectively to inferior goods, as in “The shop is full of schlock,” or countably to individual bad products, such as “That television is a piece of schlock.” It is commonly used for consumer goods, jewellery, electronics, clothing, and other merchandise, although its tone makes it unsuitable for formal or delicate discussion. The related adjective “schlocky” conveys much the same judgment in a slightly more compact form. Schlock is blunt and colloquial rather than polite, and it can express stronger contempt than words such as “cheap” or “inferior.” The word is especially associated with American speech but is now understood in English more generally.
Cheap, inferior, or poorly made merchandise; also, an individual item of such quality.
"Most of the tools in that discount shop are schlock."
Informal and disparaging. It may be used countably or, more commonly, collectively and uncountably.
Of inferior, cheap, or poor quality.
"The shop sells a lot of schlock equipment."
This attributive use is informal and common in North American English.
Countable when referring to individual products or items of inferior quality; schlock is also commonly used as an uncountable collective noun.
"Several schlocks in the box had already stopped working."
Schlock began as an insult: its Yiddish ancestor conveyed stupidity or worthlessness before English speakers applied it to merchandise that was not worth buying.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does schlock come from?
Schlock entered American English from Yiddish, probably in the early twentieth century. Its Yiddish source conveyed the ideas of stupidity or worthlessness, and English speakers came to use it chiefly as a dismissive name for inferior merchandise. Over time, the noun developed both a collective sense for shoddy goods and a countable sense for an individual poor-quality product.
Related word forms
How schlock is actually used
Informal and usually disparaging; it is especially common in North American English. The noun can be both countable and uncountable, while “schlocky” is an informal adjective meaning of inferior quality.
Easily confused with schlock
Schlock means cheap or inferior merchandise, whereas slack means insufficiently tight, active, or careful.
Schlock is pronounced with an initial “sh” sound, while slack begins with an “sl” sound.