lousier; lousiest
1
: infested (see infest sense 2) with lice
the ragged, lousy tribesmenT. E. Lawrence
2
a
: totally repulsive (see repulsive sense 3) : contemptible
a lousy way of getting even
b
: miserably poor or inferior
got lousy grades
c
: somewhat ill
felt lousy after dinner
d
: amply supplied : replete
lousy with money
3
of silk : fuzzy and specked because of splitting of the fiber
lousily adverb
lousiness noun

Examples of lousy in a Sentence

She got lousy grades in high school. I like the work, but the pay is lousy. He was a lousy husband. They did a lousy job. He drank too much and felt lousy the next morning. It's a lousy, rainy day. That's a lousy way to treat a friend.
Recent Examples on the Web It's estimated that each time an employee witnesses lousy customer service and fails to speak up costs $54,511 a year. Dr. Cinque Parker, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 While Morgan’s slate isn’t completely clean after the past three years of lousy results, his promotion (and the subsequent restructuring of the front office) signals a new beginning of sorts for the franchise. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024 John Cheeks checked the D.C. Lottery website around midnight on Jan. 7, 2023, after having a lousy day. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024 The success of the musical biopic, which had the support and participation of Marley’s family, came despite lousy reviews from film critics, who gave it a 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 In a world of lousy options, the crucial question is often: Lousy compared with what? Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Atwell’s character is lousy behind the wheel and wishes Cruise would drive. Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Earnings growth has improved dramatically after the banks provided a brutally lousy start. Bill Stone, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 One lousy relative can turn family from an engine of support and advancement to an expensive, exhausting chore. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lousy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lousy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lousy

Cite this Entry

“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lousy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lousy

adjective
lousier; lousiest
1
: infested with lice
2
a
: totally disgusting : contemptible
b
: of very poor quality
got lousy grades
c
: somewhat ill
felt lousy after dinner
d
: well supplied
lousy with money
lousiness noun

Medical Definition

lousy

adjective
lousier; lousiest
: infested with lice

More from Merriam-Webster on lousy

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