sucker
/ˈsʌkə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈʌkɚ] /ˈsʌkər/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈʌkɚ] /ˈsə-kər How to pronounce sucker (audio)/ (ame, mw)
sucker — noun
- suckersingular
- suckersplural
1. a person who is easy to deceive because they believe what others tell them witho
a person who is easy to deceive because they believe what others tell them without question
Naoko felt like a sucker after paying double the usual price for a used phone.
feel like a sucker — regret at being gullible
The street vendor spotted the tourists and saw them as easy suckers.
easy sucker — someone very easy to trick
Leo knew he was a sucker when the online deal turned out to be a scam.
There is a sucker born every minute, my grandfather used to say with a grin.
Mia's brother was a sucker for every fake charity call that reached his phone.
- gullible person
more formal; describes the trait rather than the person
- pushover
focuses on being easy to persuade, not just deceive
- dupe
specifically someone who has already been tricked, not just easily tricked
- skeptic
someone who doubts claims and is hard to deceive
用法筆記
Often appears in the phrase 'feel like a sucker' to express regret after being cheated. The related proverb 'there's a sucker born every minute' is a common saying meaning there will always be people who are easy to deceive.
常見錯誤
2. a person who likes something so much that they cannot refuse it or judge its val
a person who likes something so much that they cannot refuse it or judge its value clearly
Nadia is a total sucker for any dessert that has chocolate in it.
sucker for [something] — pattern for irresistible attraction
Andrei is a sucker for romantic comedies, even the ones his friends call cheesy.
My uncle is a sucker for vintage motorcycles and spends hours browsing ads online.
Lisa admitted she was a sucker for ghost stories, no matter how unlikely they sounded.
The children are suckers for any game that involves water balloons in summer.
- fan
less intense; just means 'someone who likes'
- enthusiast
more formal; no implication of poor judgment
文法句型
a sucker for [something]
用法筆記
Always followed by the preposition 'for': a sucker for [something]. The speaker uses this phrase affectionately — it is not an insult like sense 1.
常見錯誤
3. a general way of referring to a person or thing that is unpleasant, difficult, o
a general way of referring to a person or thing that is unpleasant, difficult, or annoying, sometimes used simply for emphasis
I have been trying to fix this old sucker of a lawnmower all morning, but it will not start.
this/that sucker of a [noun] — emphatic reference
The car broke down on the highway, and Rodrigo had to push the sucker to the nearest garage.
That sucker of a final exam took me three hours to finish.
The landlord raised the rent again — the sucker knows there is nowhere else to go around here.
文法句型
this/that sucker
用法筆記
Used as a vague, cursory reference — similar to 'thing' but with a tone of irritation or emphasis. Often follows 'this' or 'that'. When applied to a person, it expresses frustration rather than describing someone easily tricked.
4. a part of an animal's body that it uses to stick to a surface or to take in liqu
a part of an animal's body that it uses to stick to a surface or to take in liquid by creating suction
A leech uses its sucker to attach itself firmly to the skin of its host.
uses its sucker to attach — describing animal adaptation
The octopus gripped the rock tightly with the suckers on its long arms.
Each sucker on the squid's tentacles can move and grip independently.
The lamprey's circular sucker is lined with small sharp teeth.
Starfish have hundreds of tiny suckers on the underside of each arm.
5. a small rubber or plastic disc that sticks to a smooth surface when pressed agai
a small rubber or plastic disc that sticks to a smooth surface when pressed against it, or any simple device that creates suction
Lisa stuck a rubber sucker to the kitchen wall to hold the sponge.
rubber sucker — informal term for suction cup
The GPS mount comes with a strong sucker that presses onto the windscreen.
Andrei used a plastic sucker to lift the heavy sheet of glass without touching it.
The kids threw rubber-tipped arrows with tiny suckers at the target board.
- suction cup
the more formal term for the same object
用法筆記
This is the ordinary informal word for the object formally called a 'suction cup'. In everyday conversation, people say 'sucker' for the rubber disc on a bathroom hook or car phone mount.
6. a hard piece of flavoured sugar on a small stick, meant to be licked
a hard piece of flavoured sugar on a small stick, meant to be licked
Eli bought his little sister a strawberry sucker from the corner shop.
strawberry sucker — flavour + informal candy term
The dentist warned that eating too many suckers can damage a child's teeth.
Mia unwrapped the cherry sucker and popped it into her mouth with a smile.
Parents often give a toddler a sucker to keep them quiet during a long bus ride.
- lollipop
the standard term; 'sucker' is less formal
用法筆記
Primarily used in North American English. In British English, 'lollipop' is far more common. 'Sucker' for candy is informal and most often used by children or adults speaking to children.
7. a new stem that grows from the roots or lower part of a plant, often taking ener
a new stem that grows from the roots or lower part of a plant, often taking energy away from the main part
The gardener cut off the suckers at the base of the tomato plant to improve the harvest.
cut off the suckers — pruning technique for healthier plants
Raspberry bushes spread quickly because they send up suckers from their roots.
If you leave the suckers on the rose bush, they will take energy away from the main stem.
Nadia pulled a thick sucker from the ground near the apple tree and replanted it in a pot.
- offshoot
broader; can refer to anything that branches off
- side shoot
more general; may grow from a branch rather than the root
8. a North American river or lake fish whose fleshy mouth is adapted for sucking fo
a North American river or lake fish whose fleshy mouth is adapted for sucking food from the bottom
Rodrigo caught a white sucker in the lake and released it back into the water.
Suckers are bottom-feeding fish that use their fleshy lips to scoop up food.
bottom-feeding fish — describes feeding habit of sucker fish
The creek was full of suckers swimming slowly near the muddy bottom.
Unlike carp, the sucker's mouth points downward for grazing along the riverbed.
sucker — verb
- suckerpresent simple I / you / we / they
- suckers3rd person singular
- suckering-ing form
- suckeredpast simple
1. to deceive someone, especially by making them believe something false so they do
to deceive someone, especially by making them believe something false so they do something they would not normally do
The salesman suckered Naoko into buying a warranty she did not need.
sucker + object + into + doing something — common pattern
Caio felt he had been suckered when the online course turned out to be a scam.
Do not let them sucker you into lending money you cannot afford to lose.
Lisa was suckered by a fake email that looked like it came from her bank.
文法句型
sucker + object + into + doing something
用法筆記
Frequently used in the pattern 'sucker someone into doing something'. Also common in the passive: 'be suckered into [something]'. This verb is informal and should not be used in formal writing.
常見錯誤
2. to cut off the unwanted new shoots from a plant so the main part grows more stro
to cut off the unwanted new shoots from a plant so the main part grows more strongly
You should sucker the tomato plants once a week during summer to keep them healthy.
sucker the tomato plants — weekly gardening task
The farm workers suckered the tobacco plants early in the growing season.
Leo learned how to sucker roses from watching gardening videos online.
If you do not sucker the fruit trees, the apples will be smaller and less sweet.
文法句型
sucker + object (plant)
用法筆記
This is a technical gardening verb. Gardeners also say 'remove the suckers' more often than using the verb form 'sucker'.
3. to produce new shoots from the roots or lower stem (of a plant)
to produce new shoots from the roots or lower stem (of a plant)
The old lilac bush suckers heavily every spring, sending new stems across the yard.
This variety of bamboo suckers aggressively and can take over a garden.
suckers aggressively — describes invasive growth
The apple tree started to sucker after the main trunk was damaged in the storm.
Most mint plants sucker freely, which is why they spread so quickly.
- send out shoots
a more general, non-technical phrase
文法句型
plant + suckers (verb)
用法筆記
This intransitive use describes the plant's natural behaviour. It is a technical term used mainly by gardeners and botanists.