1
2
as in poor
falling short of a standard I actually play a pretty lousy game of tennis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5

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 lousy But on the previous pitch, Pages, perhaps trying to make up for that lousy throw, was thrown out trying to steal third despite there being only one out. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025 Compare this to what Amtrak has been pushing to fix their lousy Penn Station by needlessly expanding the station to the south by using eminent domain to seize Block 780, which is opposed by everyone from Gov. Hochul on down. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 2 June 2025 Every tech company will tout its features and automation and workflows and AI tools but if the data is lousy the results will be lousy. Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 The circuit does a lousy job of promoting this game. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lousy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lousy
Adjective
  • As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.
    Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021
  • My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.
    Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
  • Orlik, who was seventy-seven, was in poor health and desperate to get his pictures back.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 June 2025
  • Cities affected by the alert included Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, La Quinta and Coachella. To help keep indoor air clean when air quality is poor, officials advised avoiding additional sources of pollution such as fireplaces, candles, and incense.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • And these are the same Oilers who, after a terrible 6-1 loss in Game 3 to the Panthers, overcame a three-goal deficit in Game 4 to even the series.
    Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 June 2025
  • For example, while the IRA rollback effort will inevitably mean a significant reduction in U.S. federal support for electric vehicles, nevertheless the adoption of EVs continued in Q1 even despite a terrible quarter for the U.S.’s leading brand (Tesla).
    Rob Day, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
Adjective
  • These Golden Hour Savings deals bring these loafers’ price tag down to as low as $52, which is much cheaper than most leather (or vegan leather) loafers.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 June 2025
  • However, thimerosal is more common elsewhere in the world for various multi-dose vaccine vials, which are cheaper than the single-dose vials more commonly used in the US.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • After the air space across large swaths of the Middle East turned into a no-fly zone, the skies over Afghanistan have become increasingly crowded as airlines seek alternative flight paths to connect Asia with Europe and the US.
    Leen Al-Rashdan, Fortune, 21 June 2025
  • Each year, throngs of visitors strap on crampons to experience the icy wilderness firsthand, and the well-trodden paths can sometimes feel more crowded than remote—but that may soon change.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • For example, the 1890s saw the Royal Observatory hire women for the first time, who worked for a pitiful wage as 'computers' to examine and refine observational data.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 June 2025
  • There is nothing deficient, unnatural or pitiful about being single, as we’re often led to believe.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • In April 2021, the European Commission proposed a draft of the Artificial Intelligence Act, aimed at introducing a system of AI classification based on risks to users (minimal, limited, high, unacceptable).
    Olena Orliuk, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • Anything less is unacceptable to the Bosteros, as Boca’s fans are known.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • And in addition to the swing itself, his overall approach at the plate has always been horrible.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • With guidance from Benny’s older sister and her campus-legend boyfriend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka, and fake IDs.
    Peter White, Deadline, 16 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lousy. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lousy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!