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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of wretched
That’s a mark that assuredly will be surpassed with two games remaining in this wretched season.
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Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
The script, co-written by Ross and producer Joslyn Barnes, scraps Whitehead’s opening prologue about the wretched cemetery to instead emphasize that this will be a bittersweet celebration of life.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
But the end of Assad’s wretched regime unlocks many doors.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Star Wars Outlaws Welcome to a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
—Richard Newby, TIME, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wretched 
Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
The script, co-written by Ross and producer Joslyn Barnes, scraps Whitehead’s opening prologue about the wretched cemetery to instead emphasize that this will be a bittersweet celebration of life.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
But the end of Assad’s wretched regime unlocks many doors.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Star Wars Outlaws Welcome to a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
—Richard Newby, TIME, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
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Given this area’s rich history with horrible weather and big events at this time of year, there is still a chance that the Cotton Bowl will be postponed until Saturday.Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
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How horrible for my sweet little nephews to watch their house disappear like this.Becca Longmire, People.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This isn’t to say Orlok isn’t evil, but that his evilness does not exclude him from being pitiful.Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 10 Jan. 2025
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Perhaps this weekend can be a get-right game against the pitiful New York Jets, but there’s not much to be excited about.Fox News Staff, Fox News, 13 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But beneath Pansy’s rage, often a source of that specific, bleak brand of Mike Leigh comedy, lies severe OCD, anxiety, depression, and the grief of having recently lost her mother.Radhika Seth, Vogue, 7 Jan. 2025
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While the art world has felt bleak amid a buckling market, a new art fair is gracing Los Angeles this year.Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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With sleep disorders affecting approximately 70 million Americans and poor sleep linked to serious health risks like heart disease, stroke and cognitive decline, the Tone Buds represent a significant advancement in personal sleep technology.Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025
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Everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now.Makena Gera, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Saquon Barkley is an unstoppable force, the defense is resurgent under Vic Fangio, the chatter about an unhappy A.J. Brown has mostly died down.Dianna Russini, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
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Ratings declined, Lynch was unhappy, and the show was canceled.Victoria Edel, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Yes, the internet facilitates stupid vile behaviours.Art de Roché, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
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And quoted my column, earning me weeks of vile hate messages from across the nation.Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Los Angeles wildfires have been a terrible tragedy.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
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The start of the Palisades and Eaton Fires was a case of terrible timing: A drought had turned abundant vegetation into crisp fire fuel, and the winter rains were absent.Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In the final, pathetic weeks of his failed presidency, Joe Biden has been casting about desperately for a positive legacy.Jack Butler, National Review, 12 Jan. 2025
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The 10th pick will be your usual pathetic Bear player.Jon Greenberg, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near wretched
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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