1
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
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2
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a wretched lie
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3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
lived alone in a wretched room in a run-down hotel
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
a wretched attempt at writing an original song
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5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
she was wretched for weeks after breaking up with her boyfriend
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6
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
his wretched treatment of women earned him a bad reputation
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7
as in terrible
of low quality
wretched goods that aren't even worth half of what the store is charging for them
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8
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
those wretched souls who cannot even afford a decent roof over their heads
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9
as in miserable
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
the pampered socialite complained that the only room available was in a wretched little motel by the highway
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wretched
Then the dream warped into a nightmare, as some wretched souls began to freeze mid-step or drown in slush, while manic revelries raged all around them.
—
Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
Mings watched on from the Wembley steps as an unused substitute during the wretched FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace, many fans believing his skill set was better suited to deal with Palace’s counter-attacking threat.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Fernandes, who’s been at Old Trafford since 2020, chalked up 19 goals and 20 assists in all competitions during a wretched 2024/25 campaign for the Red Devils.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Fair enough — the club is playing wretched baseball, and some responsibility for that goes to the manager.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
Mings watched on from the Wembley steps as an unused substitute during the wretched FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace, many fans believing his skill set was better suited to deal with Palace’s counter-attacking threat.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Fernandes, who’s been at Old Trafford since 2020, chalked up 19 goals and 20 assists in all competitions during a wretched 2024/25 campaign for the Red Devils.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Fair enough — the club is playing wretched baseball, and some responsibility for that goes to the manager.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
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Because of Denise Gough's human frailty as a woman destroyed by her own ambition and Kyle Soller's cowardice in the face of a horrible truth.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
-
Soak up the gall of losing, absorb the horrible information, feel it to the full, go there—and then rebound, with superb elasticity.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
My pansies are pitiful, the lavender is languishing and the salvia is suffering.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
7 July 2025
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Something about this one note prompted even this pitiful creature to a risky gesture of mercy.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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The reversal is notable because this traditionally bleak indicator had been trending more positively under Trump's second term—until now.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
-
Restaurants were closed, staff were furloughed, and the broad outlook on the hospitality industry’s future was, in a word, bleak.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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Taking too many is poor etiquette and inconsiderate to other shoppers.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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That's become a new line of attack for the Trump administration, which is already unhappy with the Fed for not moving more aggressively to lower interest rates.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
14 July 2025
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Speculation is that Ferrari is unhappy with Vasseur's performance, although these rumors have been shut down by Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Arriving in London, Jess has a chance encounter with Felix (Will Sharpe), a broke musician, in a particularly vile pub toilet.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 July 2025
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The tweets, a vile departure from Elmo’s often inspiring and motivational social media cadence, were sent on July 13 and promptly taken down.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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There will be four questions related to easing the city’s terrible housing shortage, all useful and needed, and one useless question about moving our local elections from odd years, like this present year, to presidential contest years.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
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But when terrible news arrives about her ex, all eyes turn to Ana — whose reputation isn't exactly sterling.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Phoenix assumes a pathetic and quietly arrogant demeanor as Joe, who speaks in a squeaky, exasperated cadence.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
17 July 2025
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Flores riding high with Vikings defense Enter Flores, who was hired shortly after that pathetic performance.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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