Street voices
Hugues
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United States
"sticking out like a sore thumb when something very obviously doesn't belong in whatever group it's in man I feel bad for Dylan he clearly just signed up for acting class cuz he had to not cuz he wanted to yeah you said it poor dude sticks out like a sore thumb"
What it means
Means you look wildly out of place, so obvious everyone clocks it straight away. Picture turning up to a beach barbie in a tux, or rocking up to a rave with a briefcase and a sensible tie. If you stick out like a sore thumb, there’s no blending in, no hiding in the crowd, you’re basically a neon sign with legs.
Usage examples
"I wandered into the pub in my muddy wellies after the hike and everyone was in date-night gear, so I stuck out like a sore thumb."
"In a room full of suits and ball gowns, his bright orange hoodie made him stick out like a sore thumb, but he wore it proudly all night."
Where it comes from
Built on the image of a thumb hurt and swollen, throbbing and impossible to ignore. That painful standout became the phrase for anyone or anything that clashes with everything around it.
Editors of this term
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