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
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Recent Examples of wretchedly
The Eastern Europeans—Yiddish Jews, Kimmel calls them—were poor, wretchedly so.
—
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretchedly
Adverb
-
For the former, fans point out that all of the leaks leave Batula in particular coming off very poorly.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The city did not take the court up on that suggestion and should be commended for adhering to its transparency policies in a case that reflects so poorly on the Chicago Police Department.—
Jamie Kalven,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The trial has dragged on for six years in a case that has bitterly divided the Israeli public.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The eight men at the center of this book shared the common experience of being born before the Civil War, when this country was bitterly divided over slavery.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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
Adverb
-
In December, his newspaper The Washington Post, against the wishes of staffers, launched an AI podcast feature that badly regurgitates its articles, with predictably disastrous results.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The badly decomposed remains of a woman were found Wednesday evening in a dumpster near an Oakland freeway offramp, authorities said.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In a state where the most recent men’s pro sports title was celebrated in 1991, seeing die-hard fans in tears is sadly not uncommon.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
1 May 2026
-
New subscribers will receive a unique promo code in a text message that can be used on purchases on the website or the app (not in-person, sadly).—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Magic Mountain removed Revolution’s simple lap bars in 1992 and installed over-the-shoulder restraints — resulting in head-banging headaches for dismayed riders and making the coaster painfully unrideable.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
The meme was dark, ridiculous and painfully accurate.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Adverb
-
For their part, Democratic leaders spoke mournfully of limits, of energy shortages, of national decline, of a crisis of confidence itself.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Based on the Dylan Thomas prose poem of the same name, published in 1952, the film lovingly and mournfully depicts the boyhood Christmastime of an old Welshman, tenderly and a tad mischievously embodied by Elliott.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wretchedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretchedly. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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