1
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
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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 terrible
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
Invisible anguish is especially wretched.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
In fact the word poverty comes from the old French word poverté , which refers to a wretched state.
—Rahkim Sabree, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Disneyland has dropped reservation requirements for the once wildly popular Oga’s Cantina six years after the wretched hive of scum and villainy opened to hourslong standby lines that forced the Anaheim theme park to hastily install a reservation system.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
The 1972 offensive had been wretched for AP, which was being regularly beaten by its main rival, United Press International.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
In fact the word poverty comes from the old French word poverté , which refers to a wretched state.
—Rahkim Sabree, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Disneyland has dropped reservation requirements for the once wildly popular Oga’s Cantina six years after the wretched hive of scum and villainy opened to hourslong standby lines that forced the Anaheim theme park to hastily install a reservation system.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
The 1972 offensive had been wretched for AP, which was being regularly beaten by its main rival, United Press International.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
-
While that might be great for the profitability in real estate, in consumer goods and apparel, that’s horrible.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In the past, the Soviet Union had a horrible impact on Georgian wine.—
Jessica Jungbauer,
Vogue,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Browns have scored the second-fewest points in the NFL, ahead of only the pitiful Tennessee Titans.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
-
On the side of the highway, Wilson cuts a pitiful, solitary figure.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While there is still a chance that Sanders and Colorado can turn things around, the rest of the season is looking bleak.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
From a bleak job hunt upon her arrival in 2016 to undergoing treatment for her second bout with breast cancer during the uncertainty and fear of COVID, Davis recalls her journey through raw vulnerability and splashes of humor.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
My adolescent cells floated away from poor me and traded places with his.—
Betty Gilpin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Women disproportionately suffer chronic disease, on average spend 25% more time in poor health than men, and, on average, experience the final 12 to 14 years of their lives in frail health.—
Maria Shriver,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
He was told by Talent Relations that the creative team was unhappy with him.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The now-37-year-old wasn’t unhappy with her job.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In the season’s back half, neither its overloading of vile desecrations nor maudlin sentimentality adds anything that Monster hadn’t already established four episodes ago.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
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Koch’s vile conduct spawns a number of unnecessary fantasy sequences either brought on by the comics or wholly imagined by Ed.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That's a terrible average to bet your life on.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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When his estranged daughter Sam tracks him down, in a last-ditch effort to dig her way out of serious trouble, Mickey must choose between rekindling his relationship with his daughter in the face of a terrible tragedy or pursuing a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Characters can be pathetic, and frank about their Toledo Truth Teller’s bleak prospects.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Jimmy Kimmel is a pathetic hate monger.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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