deplorable

adjective

di-ˈplȯr-ə-bəl How to pronounce deplorable (audio)
Definition of deplorablenext
1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust we will not tolerate such deplorable behavior in a house of worship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress condemned the deplorable conditions in which the family was living

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 deplorable 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 The children remained mostly confined to a small room in the house, investigators said, under deplorable conditions. — Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Hospital reconstruction in Cuba The second phase would focus more on rebuilding hospitals and medical centers on the island, which are in a deplorable state. — Sarah Moreno july 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 Several detainees have reportedly been on a hunger strike to protest the inhumane conditions in these deplorable warehouse camps, with overcrowding, physical and psychological abuse, rancid food, scant medical care and many deaths. — Nancy Rudner, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deplorable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deplorable
  1. pitiful
  2. tragic
  3. lame
  4. unfortunate
  5. cheap
  6. wretched
  7. disgusting
  8. dirty
Adjective
  • Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers.
    — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.
    — Hector Vickers, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Definition of pitiful
Adjective
  • Frank Culbertson had a birds-eye view of one of the most memorable and tragic events in American history.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • La Gradiva takes a tragic turn in its final act that forces a reexamination of the loose, observant filmmaking that led to it.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • Respondents questioned Dave Aranda’s roster construction, the program’s lack of identity and why everybody is pretending this isn’t a lame-duck season.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Post-election powers Keisha Lance Bottoms has a message for Republicans who might be tempted to limit her powers in a lame-duck special session if the Democrat wins the race for governor in November.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • That is the unfortunate part of a tenure full of expansion, media-rights billions and two transformational collective bargaining agreements.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Moore and his allies are presenting gerrymandering as an unfortunate response to an acute political crisis, but trying to gerrymander Maryland in favor of Democrats is far from a new effort.
    — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • But that does not mean residents will suddenly see a cheaper water bill.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • His latest book, Three Tenses, a well as his Pulitzer Prize finalist Same Bed Different Dreams, are complex without resorting to gimmicks or cheap obfuscation that implies depth.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • The traditional fatal flaws of Burrow injuries and wretched defenses have real solutions with the defensive line depth and Joe Flacco in place to keep the team on track.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Those who care deeply about one aspect of something or another often take charge of their memory, not necessarily reflecting the wretched, real-time ambivalence of the original experience.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of wretched
Adjective
  • These guys are disgusting over the radio in the heat of battle.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The wealth disparity and how competitive sports enables opportunity hoarding is just disgusting.
    — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • This tension is often subtext enough, and it’s accentuated by cinematographer Adric Watson’s tight and dirty frames, which confine Maya and Arti through astute visual composition, as the reality of their cushy lives is gradually illuminated.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Traction pods along the sneaker’s outsole make the shoe grippy on wet ground and durable enough to handle dirty trails and some rocky terrain.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dirty

Browse Nearby Words

depletions
deplorable
deplorableness
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Cite this Entry

“Deplorable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deplorable. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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