lousier; lousiest
1
: infested (see infest sense 2) with lice
The ragged, lousy tribesmen …—
T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence2
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
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
Phenomenal world-of-mouth is more than making up for generally lousy reviews (its Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 40 percent).
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2026
They’re expected to be lousy this coming season.
—Greg Cote
april 26, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Americans still feel lousy about the economy and worry that the US-Israeli war with Iran will continue to push up prices.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
For 15 batters Tuesday night, the Minnesota Twins had no chance against the team with baseball’s worst record, a group amid its lousiest stretch in more than two decades.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lousy
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Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2026
They’re expected to be lousy this coming season.
—Greg Cote
april 26, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Americans still feel lousy about the economy and worry that the US-Israeli war with Iran will continue to push up prices.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
For 15 batters Tuesday night, the Minnesota Twins had no chance against the team with baseball’s worst record, a group amid its lousiest stretch in more than two decades.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lousy
Cite this Entry
“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lousy. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Medical Definition
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