1
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a wretched lie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
lived alone in a wretched room in a run-down hotel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
a wretched attempt at writing an original song
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
she was wretched for weeks after breaking up with her boyfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
his wretched treatment of women earned him a bad reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in cheap
of low quality
wretched goods that aren't even worth half of what the store is charging for them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
those wretched souls who cannot even afford a decent roof over their heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in miserable
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
the pampered socialite complained that the only room available was in a wretched little motel by the highway
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 wretched
Tensions escalated at the facility over Memorial Day weekend as hundreds of detainees went on a hunger strike to protest spoiled food and wretched conditions, some of their lawyers said.
—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
Through his many wretched abuses of office, Trump has set the table for Democrats to present a new vision for government, one that could usher them to a historical mandate.
—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
Of course, the downside to aggressively selling is the season could go from bad to historically wretched.
—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Yes, it’s mostly wretched, but once in a great while there will be a song that’s actually not autotuned.
—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
Through his many wretched abuses of office, Trump has set the table for Democrats to present a new vision for government, one that could usher them to a historical mandate.
—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
Of course, the downside to aggressively selling is the season could go from bad to historically wretched.
—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Yes, it’s mostly wretched, but once in a great while there will be a song that’s actually not autotuned.
—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
-
The production quality was terrible.
-
But in May of 1943, a terrible fire burned his studio to the ground.
Adjective
-
Trump has made a pitiful shambles of what should have been a glorious moment.
-
With his country flailing in their pitiful attempts to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, at the age of 33, Zidane underwent his change of heart.
Adjective
-
My father is a can-do, glass-half-full guy, a quality that has always felt like a rebuke of my own bleak world view, which makes the poor man literally wince.
-
The numbers were even bleaker in other categories.
Adjective
-
Rebecca Lowe joins Dan Patrick to discuss some of the top storylines around the World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo's poor play to start, the United States' potential and more.
-
Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?
Adjective
-
Isdin Melatonik If traditional retinoids have left your sensitive skin unhappy, Isdin's Melatonik Recovery Night Serum offers a gentler approach with bakuchiol.
-
Brown and the Celtics have both since denied speculation that the 29-year-old second-team All-NBA selection was unhappy with his role in Boston.
Adjective
-
Powerful, rich people filled the lawn to watch a violent sport that ended with a vile and racist comment.
-
That person is referring to heavyweight Josh Hokit, who is facing widespread backlash for making a vile joke about former first lady Michelle Obama after winning his match over Derrick Lewis.
Adjective
-
The pricier piece is often the cheaper one to own.
-
That marks a shift from an older data-center playbook built around cheap land, fiber access and tax incentives, with power planning often becoming a constraint later in the process.
Adjective
-
After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
-
The Right Now’s Diana Levy — the executive producer of the stunt — asked reporters to spread out in a way that would make the turnout appear as sparse (and therefore pathetic) as possible.
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
