1
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
More significant, in addition to being wretched, the book is also periodically wise.
—
Akhil Sharma, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
In the last three decades of mostly wretched basketball around here, Wall and Gilbert Arenas were, by far, the franchise’s two most iconic players.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Anyone who’s survived to 2026 knows the upper class’ fictitious fantasies still carry real, wretched consequences for the rest of us, but Season 4 plays out those ongoing scenarios to the nth degree, while condensing them into an appreciable narrative arc.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 2026
The foodborne virus, which causes a wretched illness, continues to plague adults, particularly people who are homeless or who abuse drugs or alcohol, with a total of 1,648 cases and 85 deaths reported in 2023.
—Arthur Allen, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Akhil Sharma, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
In the last three decades of mostly wretched basketball around here, Wall and Gilbert Arenas were, by far, the franchise’s two most iconic players.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Anyone who’s survived to 2026 knows the upper class’ fictitious fantasies still carry real, wretched consequences for the rest of us, but Season 4 plays out those ongoing scenarios to the nth degree, while condensing them into an appreciable narrative arc.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 2026
The foodborne virus, which causes a wretched illness, continues to plague adults, particularly people who are homeless or who abuse drugs or alcohol, with a total of 1,648 cases and 85 deaths reported in 2023.
—Arthur Allen, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
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As compiled by Gnostics, who consider the material world to be a fundamentally terrible place.—
Jay Martel,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Astros’ young second baseman, Jose Altuve, was making waves, Fisher remembered, yet the club still looked terrible.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Granted, those three performances were pitiful.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
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Gallup reached only 50,000 people, a pitiful fraction of The Literary Digest’s awe-inspiring mailbag.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But just as the season was looking bleak, the Horned Frogs began to evolve into the best versions of themselves.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2026
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But as bleak losses pile up at the end of another disappointing season, this defensive disconnect remains a clear focal point for the team’s plans to build a better future.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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City officials say the long-term leases make buying Liberty Station a poor investment for any potential buyer other than Seligman.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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Further, according to the paper, when supply tightens, richer nations outbid poorer ones for scarce shipments, exacerbating challenges for vulnerable economies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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MacFarlane is also said to have faced personal threats from MAGA supporters unhappy with his coverage of the Justice Department.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Earlier this season, Marchment struggled mightily — and seemed plenty unhappy — with the Seattle Kraken, but his trade to the Blue Jackets in late December revitalized his season.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Aerion was absolutely vile to him.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
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That’s why every encounter with a non-vile mezcal should be celebrated, and the Desolas Mezcal Reposado is decidedly not vile.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Unlike rivals giving subscribers a choice of ad-free plans or cheaper tiers with ads, Amazon defaulted to ads for all subscribers to Prime, allowing an opt-out for an extra premium.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
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Rivian has been teasing the R2 for a while now, dangling the promise of a smaller, cheaper, more attainable version of its beloved R1S in front of adventure-hungry buyers who couldn’t quite stretch to the $77,000-plus sticker of its halo SUV.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Of course, the notes turn out to mostly be about her as well as the principal (played by Gosling), detailing their most pathetic behaviors.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Mar. 2026
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The pathetic leaks didn’t work.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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