poor/sad/sorry excuse for
phrase
: a poor example of
He's a sad excuse for a father.
This is a poor excuse for a term paper.
That pile of junk is a sorry excuse for a car!
Cite this Entry
“Poor/sad/sorry excuse for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poor%2Fsad%2Fsorry%20excuse%20for. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
