wretched

[rech-id]

adjective

wretcheder, wretchedest 

1. very unfortunate in condition or circumstances; miserable; pitiable.

   Synonyms: unhappy, forlorn, woebegone, woeful, distressed, dejected

2. characterized by or attended with misery and sorrow.

3. despicable, contemptible, or mean.

   a wretched miser.

   Synonyms: vile, base

4. poor, sorry, or pitiful; worthless.

   a wretched job of sewing.

wretched

/ ˈrɛtʃɪd /

adjective

1. in poor or pitiful circumstances

2. characterized by or causing misery

3. despicable; base

4. poor, inferior, or paltry

5. (prenominal) (intensifier qualifying something undesirable)

   a wretched nuisance

Other Word Forms

• wretchedly adverb
• wretchedness noun
• unwretched adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wretched¹

First recorded in 1150–1200, wretched is from the Middle English word wrecchede. See wretch, -ed ³

Synonym Study

Wretched, miserable, sorry refer to that which is unhappy, afflicted, or distressed. Wretched refers to a condition of extreme affliction or distress, especially as outwardly apparent: wretched hovels. Miserable refers more to the inward feeling of unhappiness or distress: a miserable life. Sorry applies to distressed, often poverty-stricken outward circumstances; but it has connotations of unworthiness, incongruousness, or the like, so that the beholder feels more contempt than pity: in a sorry plight.

Example Sentences

The 46th president practically had to be bludgeoned into standing aside after the Democratic freakout over his wretched, career-ending debate performance.

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Lewis Hamilton did his best to stay upbeat for the future on Sunday after yet another wretched weekend in what he described as a "nightmare" year with Ferrari.

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They sit third bottom in the National League and have been particularly wretched on their travels.

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But it is time to look closer to home after this wretched night at Brentford.

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Potter won only six of his 25 matches in charge since succeeding Julen Lopetegui, his low-key personality never winning favour with West Ham's demanding fans and his plight worsened by wretched results.

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Related Words

• abject 
• deplorable 
• depressed 
• despicable 
• forlorn 
• gloomy 
• hopeless 
• miserable 
• pathetic 
• pitiful 
• tragic 
• woeful