lousier; lousiest
1
: infested (see infest sense 2) with lice
the ragged, lousy tribesmen—
T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence2
a
: totally repulsive (see repulsive sense 3) : contemptible
a lousy way of getting even
b
: miserably poor or inferior
got lousy grades
c
: somewhat ill
felt lousy after dinner
d
: amply supplied : replete
lousy with money
3
of silk
: fuzzy and specked because of splitting of the fiber
Synonyms
Examples of lousy in a Sentence
She got lousy grades in high school.
I like the work, but the pay is lousy.
He was a lousy husband.
They did a lousy job.
He drank too much and felt lousy the next morning.
It's a lousy, rainy day.
That's a lousy way to treat a friend.
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, Boston could roll with Rafael Devers at third base and Triston Casas at first base, which isn't a lousy duo in the slightest.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
The lousy news is partly due to the disruption of a seven-week strike by Boeing’s machinists that halted production of the company’s bestselling plane, the 737 Max.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2025
After a lousy practice in the infancy of this season, Jalen Carter stepped into a players-only huddle and addressed the entire team for the first time.
—Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Compounding the lousy feeling in your brain, the inflammation that alcohol causes can be tough on the gut the day after a bender, says Dr. Sally Adams, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Birmingham.
—Betsy Andrews, Saveur, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for lousy 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
The lousy news is partly due to the disruption of a seven-week strike by Boeing’s machinists that halted production of the company’s bestselling plane, the 737 Max.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2025
After a lousy practice in the infancy of this season, Jalen Carter stepped into a players-only huddle and addressed the entire team for the first time.
—Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Compounding the lousy feeling in your brain, the inflammation that alcohol causes can be tough on the gut the day after a bender, says Dr. Sally Adams, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Birmingham.
—Betsy Andrews, Saveur, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for lousy
Dictionary Entries Near lousy
Cite this Entry
“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lousy. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lousy
adjective
lousier; lousiest
1
: infested with lice
2
a
: totally disgusting : contemptible
b
: of very poor quality
got lousy grades
c
: somewhat ill
felt lousy after dinner
d
: well supplied
lousy with money
Medical Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share