Sad sack

Origin: The idiom 'sad sack' originated from a comic strip created by George Baker during World War II. The character, aptly named Sad Sack, was a soldier who was perpetually down on his luck and found himself in various unfortunate situations. The comic strip resonated with many soldiers and civilians, and the term eventually entered everyday language to describe someone who is habitually unlucky or unhappy.

Examples

• Despite his best efforts, Mike always seems to be the sad sack of the office, with one mishap following another.
• Elaine felt like a sad sack after her third job interview ended in polite rejection.
• Whenever we go camping, Daniel turns into a sad sack, complaining about the bugs and the uncomfortable sleeping bags.
• After the breakup, Chris was a real sad sack, moping around the house and avoiding social gatherings.
• At family reunions, Aunt Margie is known as the sad sack, always bringing up her latest woes and grievances.
• Even on his wedding day, Tom had a sad sack moment when he spilled wine on his tuxedo.
• During the team retreat, Sarah was the sad sack, constantly pointing out the negative aspects of every activity.
• The protagonist of the novel was a classic sad sack, finding himself in one unfortunate situation after another.
• In the movie, the sidekick character is a sad sack who provides comic relief through his constant bad luck.
• Despite his talent, John has a reputation as a sad sack because he frequently misses out on big opportunities.