dork vs. nerd

dork vs. nerd: ’s the difference?

Dork and nerd are sometimes used in ways that are intended to imply different shades of meaning about the person they’re referring to. In general, though, they often mean about the same thing, and they can both be used negatively, positively, or in a self-deprecating way.

dork

noun

  1. Slang. a silly, out-of-touch person who tends to look odd or behave ridiculously around others; a social misfit:

    If you make me wear that, I’ll look like a total dork!

    Synonyms: , , ,

  2. Slang: Vulgar. penis.

nerd

noun

  1. a single-minded person obsessed with a hobby or pursuit or with a particular topic:

    My 13-year-old son is a computer nerd.

    I joined a book club and discovered another Jane Austen nerd.

  2. a person considered to be socially awkward, boring, unstylish, etc.

verb (used without object)

  1. to spend inordinate amounts of time, attention, energy, enthusiasm, etc., on an activity or topic of special interest to oneself; geek:

    I enjoy samurai movies, nerding about samurai movies, and the occasional slice of cake.

    Don't cross the street while you're nerding on your phone—you're likely to get hit!