A Goner Meaning
Definition: I’m doomed; a doomed person.
Origin of I’m a Goner
This expression dates back to the mid 1800s. It most likely comes from the word gone.
When gone acts as an adjective, it can mean departed or hopeless. Goner has the same meaning, with the addition of the suffix -er, which signifies that it is a person.
Examples of I’m a Goner
In the example below, a patient is speaking to his doctor about his health.
Doctor: I have your results from your examination here.
Patient: Tell me the truth, Doctor. Am I a goner?
Doctor: What? No! Why would you think that?
Patient: You just looked really serious, and I’ve felt extremely unwell recently.
Doctor: No, don’t worry. You just need to eat more protein and take some vitamins.
Patient: Oh, thank goodness!
The next example involves an English professor and his students. One of the students feels very stressed about an upcoming test.
Professor: Okay, that’s everything for today. Remember that you have a test on Monday, so don’t forget to study over the weekend.
Student: Excuse me, I have a question. Can we please postpone this test?
Professor: I’m sorry, but no. We have a very full schedule and we need to stick to it if you want to finish all the requirements to pass the course.
Student: Please don’t make us take it. I’ll be a goner if I have to take this test on Monday. I’ll definitely fail, and then I won’t have any hope of passing the course.
Professor: Why don’t you come to my office hours, and I’ll try to help you study.
More Examples
The excerpt is about a politician who might not be re-elected due to terror attacks.
- “For Hollande, the question is, how will he survive politically? I think he’s a goner.” –LA Times
This is an excerpt about a woman who met a handsome man and felt doomed to fall in love with him.
- His tall and slender frame was encased in a beat-up black leather jacket, and his dark eyes gleamed. Oozing charisma and confidence from his every pore, he cracked a wry smile at me. I was a goner. –LA Times
Summary
A goner is a person, or sometimes a thing, which is past recovery.
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