as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
the clerk was an ungrateful wretch who stole money from his employer's cash register
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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
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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
-
Maliki is a divisive brute whom Iran supports to the hilt.—
Dov Friedman,
Foreign Affairs,
17 June 2014
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One million doctors to give care, 1.4 million brutes in cubicles doing their best to stop doctors from giving that care.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Set in a new location with new monsters, Wilds introduces a new type of mount, new monsters, an improved wound system, focus mode, and a new tool called the hook slinger.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
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Are we meant to sympathize with this creature as people scream in terror and call it a monster and attack it and scream for it to be shot?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Play devil’s advocate, explore worst-case scenarios and invite constructive criticism.—
Mark Kane,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Against Djokovic, that battle can become a devil’s choice.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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It’s widely expected that the administration will first seek to deport criminals who are in this country illegally.—
David Lightman,
Sacramento Bee,
19 Jan. 2025
-
The only difference is that instead of Cuban casinos, today's criminals use mixing services and cross-chain bridges.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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During the ruckus, Blake is gashed by the beast, beginning his gradual transformation and degeneration into a Wolf Man.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Jan. 2025
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Yet Blake doesn’t leave unscathed, as he’s scratched by a beast that looks suspiciously lycanthropic.—
William Earl,
Variety,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Wretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretch. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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