1
as in terrible
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 cheap
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wretched
Yes, it’s mostly wretched, but once in a great while there will be a song that’s actually not autotuned.
—
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Still, Ohm is more despairing and miserable than any of the wretched worms Scott has acted to date.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Sullivan has run a refreshing offseason, considering his wretched inheritance.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Now, Shinia is being given the business by Miranda, who has been put in a truly wretched position.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Still, Ohm is more despairing and miserable than any of the wretched worms Scott has acted to date.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Sullivan has run a refreshing offseason, considering his wretched inheritance.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Now, Shinia is being given the business by Miranda, who has been put in a truly wretched position.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
-
Mayor and Governor are terrible.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
-
From scandals, to corny tactics and platforms, to terrible analysis, this gubernatorial race has been a contest to forget.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Chilling moments like this are the lifeblood of The Dreamed Adventure, the moments that recall the pitiful last days of the dying communist era and the violent, mafia-style economics that whooshed in to replace them.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
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There’s a mentality problem — that’s highlighted by a pitiful return of just one point out of a possible 24 away from home this season against teams in the top nine.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
While the overall state of the Angels remains bleak – their 18-34 record is the worst in the majors – on this night the fans could enjoy a rare break from the misery.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
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In a world that often feels increasingly bleak and politically exhausted, there’s comfort in leaning into softness, seduction, and fantasy, and in letting your wardrobe reflect that desire too.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
At this point the Red Sox are in serious danger, and the only reason the club is even within striking distance of a playoff spot is because the rest of the American League has been so poor.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
-
Putumayo is one of Colombia’s poorest and most troubled regions.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Russian military boggers have a lot to be unhappy about.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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But affordability concerns have left many Americans unhappy about the economy, which could lead to major political ramifications for the midterm elections.—
Lucy Bayly,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
The abrupt shift into a more dramatic finale assumes an emotional connection to characters who may not be as outrageously vile as Duncan or Carl but who haven’t escaped the show’s jaundiced eye either.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
24 May 2026
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The comment sections beneath those videos were frequently vile.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Strained by tighter budgets and product price increases, more shoppers are willing to ditch their favorite brand for a cheaper alternative, a new study finds.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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The simpler, cheaper, more snow-friendly autonomous driving hardware is welcome, too.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The plan involved discovering a long lost princess, hopping on a plane to London, breaking into a museum store room, and enlisting the help of a very pathetic historian.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
-
In our home, DC used a small, pathetic room meant for storage to pursue his hobbies.—
Marni Jameson,
Arkansas Online,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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