wretchedly

adverb

Definition of wretchedlynext
1
as in poorly
in an unsatisfactory way the whole hockey team played wretchedly that night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
  1. poorly
  2. bitterly
  3. bad
  4. sadly
  5. badly
  6. sorrowfully
  7. painfully
Adverb
  • Trump administration officials and allies are starting to debate who will shoulder the blame if Republicans perform poorly in November.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Head coach Michael Carrick could also lose his job if the team continues to perform poorly.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of poorly
Adverb
  • Conservationists fought bitterly over whether trapping every bird should be considered rescue or surrender.
    — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
  • And the fourth was about how Bush’s advisers fought bitterly and were split on economic policy.
    — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitterly
Adverb
  • Another would be to coat your thumbs with a bad-tasting substance.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 30 July 2026
  • Of course, Hole himself isn’t averse to breaking bad, either.
    — Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
Definition of bad
Adverb
  • Political and legal debates date back to ancient Rome and have been a key part of our nation, beginning with Lincoln-Douglas, yet experts say, sadly, are no longer perceived as necessary.
    — Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There is of course another way to hear ABBA songs sung live onstage, though sadly without Greek island backdrops or background singers wearing floppy swim fins.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of sadly
Adverb
  • Seems extreme on the downside, but the deal was placed really badly in a bad tape.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Playing the contrarian to the Federal Reserve’s plans to stimulate or dampen the economy only ends badly.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of badly
Adverb
  • Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Definition of sorrowfully
Adverb
  • For residents, the reservoir nonetheless remains a painfully visible symbol of the city’s shortcomings.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But the editorial process was painfully slow, and the business model was doomed by the dot-com crash.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of painfully

Browse Nearby Words

wretched
wretchedly
wretchedness
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Cite this Entry

“Wretchedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretchedly. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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