1
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
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2
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a wretched lie
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3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
lived alone in a wretched room in a run-down hotel
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
a wretched attempt at writing an original song
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5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
she was wretched for weeks after breaking up with her boyfriend
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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
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7
as in cheap
of low quality
wretched goods that aren't even worth half of what the store is charging for them
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8
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
those wretched souls who cannot even afford a decent roof over their heads
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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
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Example Sentences
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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
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The production quality was terrible.
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But in May of 1943, a terrible fire burned his studio to the ground.
Adjective
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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.
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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.
Adjective
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The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
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Cher’s court documents paint a bleak picture of how Allman, 49, allegedly blows through his $120,000 annual trust distributions.
Adjective
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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.
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Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?
Adjective
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Isdin Melatonik If traditional retinoids have left your sensitive skin unhappy, Isdin's Melatonik Recovery Night Serum offers a gentler approach with bakuchiol.
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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
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Powerful, rich people filled the lawn to watch a violent sport that ended with a vile and racist comment.
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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
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The revolution won’t come cheap.
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Across six online experiments, the researchers showed participants a cheaper lower-quality item such as a sweater alongside a pricier higher-quality version.
Adjective
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After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
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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 30 Jun. 2026.
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