deplorable

1 of 2

adjective

de·​plor·​able di-ˈplȯr-ə-bəl 

1

: deserving censure or contempt

deplorable behavior

: wretched

deplorable living conditions

2

: lamentable

a deplorable death

deplorableness noun

deplorably

di-ˈplȯr-ə-blē 

adverb

deplorable

2 of 2

noun

plural deplorables

: a deplorable person : someone who is deserving of censure or condemnation

—usually plural

In the media, Chicago Youths are portrayed as deplorables. … I'm here to tell you that's not the vast majority of our kids.

—Bennie Henry, quoted in N'DIGO (Chicago, Illinois)

If you want to win the culture war, you can't sit on the sidelines; you must show up and fight. And whatever flaws they might have, that's what these grassroots deplorables do.

—Haley Kennington

They speak to the lived experience of a public that is ignored, overburdened, misrepresented and denounced by some as a collection of "deplorables."

—Ahmed Bouzid

You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? [Laughter/applause]. The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that.

—Hillary Rodham Clinton

Synonyms of deplorable

Adjective

• pitiful
• lame
• cheap
• wretched
• disgusting
• dirty
• nasty
• hateful
• mean

Examples of deplorable in a Sentence

Adjective

we will not tolerate such deplorable behavior in a house of worship

condemned the deplorable conditions in which the family was living

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Minnesota officials, immigration lawyers and others alleged the conditions within the building were deplorable, citing a surfeit of beds and bathroom facilities, leg restraints for detainees and barriers to accessing legal aid. — Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026

His game didn't look deplorable in the Scottish Open, just a matter of not hitting it terribly close and not making many putts and then moving on. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

The malnourished children were found living in deplorable conditions in a 12-by-12-foot room. — Wsyx Staff, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026

Shiite and Sunni Muslims have been killing each other for centuries, and the status of women in some Muslims countries is deplorable. — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see deplore

Noun

derivative of deplorable entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deplorable

• horrible
• storable
• adorable

Kids Definition

deplorable

adjective

de·​plor·​able di-ˈplōr-ə-bəl 

-ˈplȯr-

1

: deserving to be deplored : lamentable

a deplorable accident

2

: very bad : wretched

deplorable conditions

deplorableness noun

deplorably

-blē 

adverb