as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
the clerk was an ungrateful wretch who stole money from his employer's cash register
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of wretch
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
Washington Park neighborhood was torched by some ungrateful wretch just hours after a crowd of about 200 kids and adults lit the tree and enjoyed a night of caroling in the grassy median at Martin Luther King Drive and Garfield Boulevard.
—Rex Huppke, chicagotribune.com, 10 Dec. 2021
Ji Seong-ho is a street kid, a homeless kid, a wretch.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 May 2020
While many superhero shows continue to traffic in one-dimensional super villains, the sophisticated dramas give us more ambiguous wretches.
—Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2018
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
Washington Park neighborhood was torched by some ungrateful wretch just hours after a crowd of about 200 kids and adults lit the tree and enjoyed a night of caroling in the grassy median at Martin Luther King Drive and Garfield Boulevard.
—Rex Huppke, chicagotribune.com, 10 Dec. 2021
Ji Seong-ho is a street kid, a homeless kid, a wretch.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 May 2020
While many superhero shows continue to traffic in one-dimensional super villains, the sophisticated dramas give us more ambiguous wretches.
—Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretch
Noun
-
His affinity for wrestling villains, or heels, adds another layer to his potential return.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
25 Jan. 2025
-
His villains include both Presidents Bush; his heroes stretch back to William McKinley but include Richard Nixon, who raised tariffs in response to low-cost manufacturing from Asia, and, Lighthizer insists, Ronald Reagan.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
The New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Smith has been on the outer of the Australian team in the T20 format, his weakest format where his lack of power can get exposed in a game dotted by muscular brutes.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Maliki is a divisive brute whom Iran supports to the hilt.—
Dov Friedman,
Foreign Affairs,
17 June 2014
Noun
-
The creature towers over one of Peter's fellow students which spurs him into action, distracting the monster long enough for Dr. Strange to wrangle it and haul it back through one of his signature portals.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Jan. 2025
-
For now, questions that seem to have no answers persist: How Hitler’s cult of personality could create such monsters and how so much of a nation could have committed such crimes.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Play devil’s advocate, explore worst-case scenarios and invite constructive criticism.—
Mark Kane,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Against Djokovic, that battle can become a devil’s choice.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Every day Americans are safer because of the violent criminals that President Trump's administration is removing from our communities.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
-
But during a White House press briefing this week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt boldly asserted that under the Trump administration, all undocumented immigrants are considered criminals.—
Elizabeth Keogh,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Routed through a six-speed manual gearbox, the power was enough to launch this beast of a car from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds along the way to a top speed of 186 mph.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
30 Jan. 2025
-
According to the folklore, a mythical beast would come and devour villagers and livestock each Chinese New Year, but the beast was afraid of loud noises and the color red.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Now that movie’s writer-director, Leigh Whannell, has returned to bring another classic fiend into the 21st century, with Poor Things scoundrel Christopher Abbott as a family man who starts feeling a little hairy after a full-moon encounter at his childhood home.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2025
-
That this once-relevant scoundrel's fall from something like grace uplifts so many is a testament to the joy to be found in seeing a cocky operator get his overdue comeuppance.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
18 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to wretch
Thesaurus Entries Near wretch
Cite this Entry
“Wretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretch. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share