as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
the clerk was an ungrateful wretch who stole money from his employer's cash register
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Recent Examples of wretch
Since then, he’s been a haunted wretch of a character: stoned, sullen, stuck with recurring visions of shooting his wife and himself.
—
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
The unfortunate wretch makes an exciting escape, killing her captor in the process.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025
As Blake transforms into a swollen, oozing wretch who gnaws frantically on his own wounds, his family appears as glowing-eyed aliens, their words a jumble of indecipherable sounds.
—Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The wretch was one E. W. Perera, a pivotal figure in the Ceylonese independence movement—and someone the narrator had celebrated growing up in Sri Lanka.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The wretch in question has cut down one of the speaker’s spruce trees without his permission.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2023
Had this poor wretch been well supplied with friends and money the result, as in numerous other instances, might have been different.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2023
Or would a wretch like me be saved by His amazing grace?
—Damon Young, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022
The song's lyrics also leave no topic off limits, touching on all that made the band wonder and wretch, with a tongue-in-cheek approach.
—Derek Scancarelli, EW.com, 12 May 2022
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
The unfortunate wretch makes an exciting escape, killing her captor in the process.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025
As Blake transforms into a swollen, oozing wretch who gnaws frantically on his own wounds, his family appears as glowing-eyed aliens, their words a jumble of indecipherable sounds.
—Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The wretch was one E. W. Perera, a pivotal figure in the Ceylonese independence movement—and someone the narrator had celebrated growing up in Sri Lanka.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The wretch in question has cut down one of the speaker’s spruce trees without his permission.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2023
Had this poor wretch been well supplied with friends and money the result, as in numerous other instances, might have been different.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2023
Or would a wretch like me be saved by His amazing grace?
—Damon Young, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022
The song's lyrics also leave no topic off limits, touching on all that made the band wonder and wretch, with a tongue-in-cheek approach.
—Derek Scancarelli, EW.com, 12 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretch
Noun
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Children meet superheroes and villains, engage with games and movies, and are greeted by staff in costume.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The soul patch, villain, and walrus facial hair all work with masks while mutton chops and chin curtain don’t.—
Lisa Wood Shapiro,
Wired News,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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By the end of the episode, the audience is eager to meet the antihero, the brute, that everyone is talking about.—
Maelle Beauget-Uhl,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The space monsters are also entirely terrifying, gestating inside young suns to hideously emerge as massive space insects.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Natalie and a real-estate agent named Dawn (Danielle Brooks), in search of the missing Henry, make their way to the Overworld, too, and the four team up with Steve in a painfully generic adventure to fight off monsters, find another Crystal, save the Overworld (and Dennis), and get back home.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
-
Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
To break the cycle of bias, Play devil’s advocate with yourself.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Fire in the birthing cabin, where another devil stands.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This exemption obligates the IRS to assist law enforcement in the pursuit of criminals and will be used against any migrant who has overstayed for more than 90 days as part of the carveout.—
Benjamin Siegel,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2025
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Learning of such proactivity reminds me of how cutting-edge cybersecurity firms now use AI to go on the offensive against criminals.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But this is the nature of the beast, and the reality of a team who just experienced the most disappointing year in franchise history.—
Shane Young,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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By trampling shrubs, the beasts would encourage the growth of grasses that are good at absorbing greenhouse gases.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This painting becomes the center of a scheme to weaken Cosimo’s reputation, and Benvenuto Cellini, sculptor, goldsmith and all-around scoundrel, is hired to steal it — a choice that leads to some of the most hilarious high jinks in the book.—
Chelsea Leu,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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Yet too many Democrats are reacting as though Musk himself is the scoundrel.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretch. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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