lousier; lousiest
Synonyms of lousy
1
: infested (see infest sense 2) with lice
The ragged, lousy tribesmen …T. 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
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.
The win was looked at as a bit of a comeback story, but most thought Hamilton was just coming back from a lousy 2025 season for him and Ferrari. Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 Will there be rioting in the streets once audiences get some idea of how lousy Supergirl is? Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026 But August is a lousy month for northerns and — in the border lakes — for big walleyes. Hank Bradshaw, Outdoor Life, 24 June 2026 But there is no discount price available on Johnson based on his lousy 2025-26 season. Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lousy

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lousy. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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

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