deplorable
Americanadjective
-
causing or being a subject for grief or regret; lamentable.
the deplorable death of a friend.
-
causing or being a subject for censure, reproach, or disapproval; wretched; very bad.
This room is in deplorable order. You have deplorable manners!
adjective
-
lamentable
a deplorable lack of taste
-
worthy of censure or reproach; very bad
deplorable behaviour
Other Word Forms
- deplorability noun
- deplorableness noun
- deplorably adverb
Etymology
Origin of deplorable
1605–15; < French déplorable < Middle French, equivalent to deplor ( er ) ( deplore ) + -able -able
Explanation
Deplorable is an adjective used to describe something extremely bad or unfortunate, like the deplorable destruction and loss of life in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami. Deplorable comes from the French word déplorer meaning "to give up as hopeless," meaning something is so bad, there is no hope of improvement like the deplorable actions of the arsonist who burned down the museum filled with priceless antiques. Deplorable can also describe something that is of terrible quality or unhealthful, like the deplorable state of the area under your bed — is that a moldy sandwich under there?
Vocabulary lists containing deplorable
The Book Thief
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Grade 11, List 4
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"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While local authorities said less than 40 died, NGOs insisted several thousand migrant workers -- many from Nepal -- perished in deplorable conditions in the extreme heat, often from heart attacks.
From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026
"Whoever committed this deplorable wildlife crime should hang their heads in shame."
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
Regrettable and deplorable as Gen. Tomer-Yerushalmi’s misconduct may be, it is unclear why the lesson of this affair should be the undermining of Israel’s legal system.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025
"The bears were kept in deplorable conditions and we were desperate to set them free," said Mr Knight.
From BBC • Oct. 22, 2025
Eavesdropping is a deplorable habit, but I have developed worse ones since. “... much about them,” I heard Ben say.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
