1
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
why, you lousy cheater!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poor
falling short of a standard
I actually play a pretty lousy game of tennis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
the restaurant served a lousy meal that we shouldn't have had to pay for
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cheap
of low quality
a tacky store selling lousy souvenirs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in crowded
possessing or covered with great numbers or amounts of something specified
a Manhattan neighborhood that is lousy with wannabe actors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lousy
The English-only tests will push people to drive without licenses in a state with lousy public transportation, said Adriana Rivera, a spokeswoman for the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
—
David Ovalle, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
The atmosphere is lousy with the stuff, tinting the air a butterscotch color—except near the sun in the sky, where light scattering creates a blue aura that is best visible at sunset.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Their passionate fans, who have loyally kept showing up for the last five years to watch the lousy basketball those decisions have wrought, will be wanting.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
In November and early December, as the Wild rebounded from a lousy first month, Wallstedt won seven consecutive starts and posted shutouts in three of them.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lousy
David Ovalle, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
The atmosphere is lousy with the stuff, tinting the air a butterscotch color—except near the sun in the sky, where light scattering creates a blue aura that is best visible at sunset.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Their passionate fans, who have loyally kept showing up for the last five years to watch the lousy basketball those decisions have wrought, will be wanting.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
In November and early December, as the Wild rebounded from a lousy first month, Wallstedt won seven consecutive starts and posted shutouts in three of them.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lousy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lousy
Adjective
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And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Injuries to key players on the Amazin’s contributed to some poor numbers as well.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Although poor students are disproportionately likely to receive special education in New York City, well-off disabled kids are the ones most acutely driving up the budget.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now, nearly two years later, the school finds itself in a terrible spot, as accusations of serious misconduct arise and an investigation by the athletic department heats up.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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And, betting on terrible outcomes doesn't signify what the better actually wants to happen.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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The carrier failed to secure a financial lifeline to continue operating, ending the discount air travel pioneer’s time in the sky, costing some 17,000 jobs and thousands of cheap flights in the market.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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Villa can be vulnerable to cheap giveaways in midfield, so Emery moved Morgan Rogers alongside Watkins up front and in the inside-right channel, higher upfield and not in central or deep positions where he can be swarmed.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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In the gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin, Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist whose campaign message centers her experience as a single mother, is currently a narrow front-runner in a crowded field.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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Notably, voters will winnow a crowded field of candidates for governor down to two.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Written as a response to the utopian fiction that consumed Russia’s intelligentsia at the time, Notes from Underground is a mirror that reflects the ugliest, most pitiful aspects of humanity back at us.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
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These two beacons of truth and connoisseurs of mess have been bonded for over a decade, sharing the traumas of a crappy Boston dorm room and a pitiful Brooklyn dating scene.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Our current contractor’s price proposal and timeline to finish the bridge was unreasonable and unacceptable.—
Katie Thomson,
Baltimore Sun,
6 May 2026
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What happened was unacceptable.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
3 May 2026
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Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest Again, this is horrible scheduling on a Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, three days before Forest go to Villa for the second leg of that Europa League semi-final.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lousy. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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