lousy

American  

[lou-zee] / ˈlaʊ zi /

adjective

lousier, lousiest

1. infested with lice.

2. Informal.

   1. mean or contemptible.

      That was a lousy thing to do.

   2. wretchedly bad; miserable.

      a lousy job; I feel lousy.

---

idioms

1. lousy with, well supplied with or filled with, often to excess.

   Our city is lousy with bad drivers.

   I wish I were lousy with money like my boss.

lousy British  

/ ˈlaʊzɪ /

adjective

1. slang very mean or unpleasant

   a lousy thing to do

2. slang inferior or bad

   this is a lousy film

3. infested with lice

4. slang (foll by with)

   1. provided with an excessive amount (of)

      he's lousy with money

   2. full of or teeming with

---

Other Word Forms

• lousily adverb
• lousiness noun

Etymology

Origin of lousy

First recorded in 1350–1400, lousy is from the Middle English word lousi. See louse, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Or even just improving the lousy food at Crypto.com Arena.

From Los Angeles Times

Staying safe in a job that you already have but don’t like comes with its own set of challenges—whether it’s a difficult boss, tedious responsibilities, few opportunities for advancement, or lousy pay.

From Barron's

So why do I feel so lousy? he wondered.

From Literature

Because if she didn’t know the difference between a vest and a blouse, she was both a fool and a lousy conversationalist!

From Literature

“We’re doing some work that may prove important if things with Hitler heat up. Long hours, terrible pressure, lousy pay. Interested?”

From Literature

Related Words

• awful
• horrible
• miserable
• poor
• rotten
• second-rate
• shoddy
• terrible