wretch

noun

ˈrech How to pronounce wretch (audio)
Definition of wretchnext
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person the clerk was an ungrateful wretch who stole money from his employer's cash register

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wretch The first time, Julian’s children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning) seemed like miserable, greedy wretches. — Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026 The elegant sets and lavish costume designs are stunning, as is Jacob Elordi's multi-faceted performance as the intelligent wretch stitched together from corpses. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Dec. 2025 Her expressions, her movements, her delivery — all of it makes Carol more complex than just a miserable wretch. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 3 Dec. 2025 Only Martin — cast as a Dickensian wretch by Bonitzer’s legion of myopic elites, but always quietly acting against type — reserves the right to determine his own worth. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025 As Blake transforms into a swollen, oozing wretch who gnaws frantically on his own wounds, his family appears as glowing-eyed aliens, their words a jumble of indecipherable sounds. — Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretch
  1. villain
  2. brute
  3. monster
  4. savage
  5. devil
  6. criminal
  7. offender
  8. beast
Noun
  • The Athletic’s hockey staff came together to identify the definitive on-ice villain for every team in the NHL.
    — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • Em details how Alan Rickman who played Hans Gruber, one of the most iconic villains in film history, offered director John McTiernan several key ideas that improved the film.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • Shinnecock was still a brute of a test, but the red numbers on the white scoreboard were an unfamiliar site for this course.
    — Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • These brutes commonly exceed 50 pounds.
    — Keith Sutton, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026
Definition of brute
Noun
  • Pane and McKay revealed that British actor Simon Pegg will voice the Balrog, a giant demonic monster who helps Sauron forge the One Ring.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Curtis is divorced, and still carries a torch for his ex-wife (Kelsey Scott) — now the governor of Illinois and architect of an innovative monster rehabilitation program with the Candyman (as in the movies) its star participant.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 26 July 2026
Definition of monster
Noun
  • Iggy Pop’s eternal lust for life Iggy Pop’s ability to stay shirtless and savage at 79 goes beyond scientific explanation.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • Schoolchildren meet veterans from the savage fight in Ukraine.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of savage
Noun
  • Daniel isn’t this devil’s only minion; Armand’s got an Illumination movie’s worth of cronies doing his bidding.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • The scene was both serious and strange — after all, this was Vegas and a member of the Satanic temple with black devil horns affixed to the top of his head was waiting for his turn on the microphone.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of devil
Noun
  • The detective-heroines (and especially the actress-detectives) in this canon are careful about how performance might be extended to social duplicity, dishonesty, and fraud—but the lady criminals of Victorian detective fiction cross this line easily.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • From 1873 to 1991, the island served as Costa Rica’s principal penitentiary, where some of the country’s worst criminals were sent to serve often short and torturous sentences.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Because of his previous felonies, though none for violent crimes, Pfister could now be defined as a habitual offender under Michigan law and faces prison.
    — Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • That’s like staying in the dugout during a bench-clearing brawl after a pitcher plonks a batter, then offering the offender a handshake the next inning.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • The landing party comes to this realization after using a phaser to get a clearer view of the beast standing between them and the iridium and finding a dinosaur.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 July 2026
  • Keegan was desperate to awaken the sleeping Tyneside beast and get Newcastle back to the top flight and immediately announced himself to his adoring new fanbase, scoring the winning goal on his debut against Queens Park Rangers at St James’.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of beast

Browse Nearby Words

wrests
wretch
wretched
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Cite this Entry

“Wretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretch. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of wretch for Spanish Speakers

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