WRETCHEDLY Synonyms: 172 Similar and Opposite Words

wretchedly

adverb

Definition of wretchedly

as in poorly

in an unsatisfactory way the whole hockey team played wretchedly that night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in bitterly

with feelings of bitterness or grief we're wretchedly disappointed in you for behaving so irresponsibly

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 wretchedly The Eastern Europeans—Yiddish Jews, Kimmel calls them—were poor, wretchedly so. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretchedly

Adverb

That assumption aged poorly as AA’s competitor Delta Air Lines made seatback screens based on cheaper, lighter hardware part of its standard experience.

— Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
Toxicologist Fernández has stayed in touch with his patient and still winces about how Mark feared reporting the crime to the police could reflect poorly on him professionally.

— Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of poorly

Adverb

District 4 The District 4 race between Sharry Kimmel, of Parkland, and Nicole Morst, of Coral Springs, has turned into one of the most bitterly contested, with both candidates questioning the honesty of their opponent.

— Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
Many clergy bitterly opposed the handover of the villages and criticized Pashinyan, who came to power in the South Caucasus nation amid a wave of hopeful, pro-democracy protests that swept Armenia in 2018.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of bitterly

Adverb

But the Vuelta a España’s hiring of a female influencer, whose social media content centers on flirting with male strangers, has backfired badly.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
The Iran-contra scandal in the mid-1980s badly tarnished Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy record.

— Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of badly

Adverb

Argentina’s race for a second consecutive World Cup title ended painfully this summer, with Spain beating Lionel Messi and the defending champions 1-0 after extra time in the final at MetLife Stadium.

— Asli Pelit, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Bethany, whose interactions with Anna thus far have been painfully awkward and obliviously rude, decides to confide in the ranger.

— Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of painfully

Browse Nearby Words

wretched

wretchedly

wretchedness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Wretchedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretchedly. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of wretchedly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

southpaw

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes