Synonyms for wretched
ˈrɛtʃ ɪdwretch·ed

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.5 / 2 votes

1. wretched

   Pitiful originally signified full of pity; as, "the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy," James v, 11; but this usage is now archaic, and the meaning in question is appropriated by such words as merciful and compassionate. Pitiful and pitiable now refer to what may be deserving of pity, pitiful being used chiefly for that which is merely an object of thought, pitiable for that which is brought directly before the senses; as, a pitiful story; a pitiable object; a pitiable condition. Since pity, however, always implies weakness or inferiority in that which is pitied, pitiful and pitiable are often used, by an easy transition, for what might awaken pity, but does awaken contempt; as, a pitiful excuse; he presented a pitiable appearance. Piteous is now rarely used in its earlier sense of feeling pity, but in its derived sense applies to what really excites the emotion; as, a piteous cry. Compare HUMANE; MERCY; PITY.

   Synonyms:
   abject, base, contemptible, despicable, lamentable, miserable, mournful, moving, paltry, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, sorrowful, touching, woful

   Antonyms:
   august, beneficent, commanding, dignified, exalted, glorious, grand, great, helpful, lofty, mighty, noble, sublime, superb, superior

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. wretched

   Synonyms:
   miserable, debased, humiliated, fallen, ruined, pitiable, mean, paltry, worthless, vile, despicable, contemptible, sorrowful, afflicted, melancholy, dejected

   Antonyms:
   flourishing, prosperous, happy, unfallen, admirable, noble, honorable, worthy, valuable, enviable, joyous, felicitous, elated

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 6 votes

1. deplorable, execrable, miserable, woeful, wretchedadjective

   of very poor quality or condition

   "deplorable housing conditions in the inner city"; "woeful treatment of the accused"; "woeful errors of judgment"

   Synonyms:
   paltry, deplorable, scummy, odious, reprehensible, damnable, slimy, execrable, suffering, scurvy, woebegone, vile, low-down, despicable, miserable, low, criminal, vicious, worthless, detestable, sad, piteous, condemnable, hapless, lamentable, misfortunate, pitiable, distressing, measly, abominable, poor, pathetic, sorry, pitiful, abject, woeful, unworthy, ugly

   Antonyms:
   happy, comfortable, superior, fortunate, good, comfy

2. miserable, wretchedadjective

   characterized by physical misery

   "a wet miserable weekend"; "spent a wretched night on the floor"

   Synonyms:
   low-down, pitiable, pathetic, piteous, abject, vile, misfortunate, poor, pitiful, hapless, slimy, miserable, unworthy, deplorable, suffering, scurvy, scummy, worthless, ugly, woeful, measly, paltry, execrable, despicable, low

   Antonyms:
   comfortable, good, comfy, happy, superior, fortunate

3. miserable, suffering, wretchedadjective

   very unhappy; full of misery

   "he felt depressed and miserable"; "a message of hope for suffering humanity"; "wretched prisoners huddled in stinking cages"

   Synonyms:
   low-down, pitiable, pathetic, piteous, abject, vile, misfortunate, poor, pitiful, hapless, slimy, miserable, unworthy, deplorable, suffering, scurvy, scummy, worthless, ugly, woeful, measly, paltry, execrable, despicable, low

   Antonyms:
   comfortable, good, superior, fortunate, comfy, happy

4. despicable, ugly, vile, slimy, unworthy, worthless, wretchedadjective

   morally reprehensible

   "would do something as despicable as murder"; "ugly crimes"; "the vile development of slavery appalled them"; "a slimy little liar"

   Synonyms:
   frightful, queasy, offensive, pitiable, pathetic, nauseating, piteous, vile, loathsome, misfortunate, suffering, miserable, pitiful, hapless, horrible, worthless, unworthy, nauseous, slimy, undeserving, horrifying, atrocious, deplorable, sickening, ugly, woeful, noisome, poor, execrable, despicable, slimed, surly

   Antonyms:
   comfy, fortunate, good, comfortable, superior, happy

5. hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretchedadjective

   deserving or inciting pity

   "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life"

   Synonyms:
   ridiculous, paltry, deplorable, scummy, woeful, slimy, execrable, suffering, scurvy, vile, low-down, despicable, inadequate, low, miserable, worthless, sad, piteous, hapless, lamentable, misfortunate, pitiable, distressing, measly, poor, pathetic, short, silly, sorry, pitiful, abject, unworthy, ugly

   Antonyms:
   superior, comfy, happy, fortunate, good, comfortable

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. wretchedadjective

   Synonyms:
   unhappy (on account outward condition), MISERABLE, forlorn, comfortless, woebegone, afflicted, distressed

2. wretchedadjective

   Synonyms:
   calamitous, afflictive, afflicting, deplorable

3. wretchedadjective

   Synonyms:
   bad, poor, vile sorry, shabby, pitiful, worthless, paltry, contemptible, shocking

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. wretchedadjective

   Synonyms:
   miserable, unhappy, contemptible, abject, despicable, paltry

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "wretched":

   miserable, unfortunate, measly, deplorable, squalid, lousy, unhappy, pathetic, damned, pitiful, sad, misery, lamentable

Suggested Resources

1. wretched

   Song lyrics by wretched -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by wretched on the Lyrics.com website.

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1. Homer, The Iliad:

   Thus have the gods spun the thread for wretched mortals: that they live in grief while they themselves are without cares; for two jars stand on the floor of Zeus of the gifts which he gives, one of evils and another of blessings.

2. Donald Trump:

   From day one, the wretched Washington swamp has been trying to nullify the results of a truly great and democratic election. They're trying, they're not getting very far. They want to erase your vote like it never existed. They want to erase your voice and they want to erase your future, but they will fail, because in America the people rule again, this is nothing but a partisan witch hunt, sabotage.

3. Louis Celine:

   Most people die at the last minute others 20 years beforehand, some even earlier. They are the wretched of the earth.

4. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:

   To be pleased with one's limits is a wretched state.

5. William Richardson Davie:

   So low and hopeless are the finances of the United States, that, the year before last Congress was obliged to borrow money even, to pay the interest of the principal which we had borrowed before. This wretched resource of turning interest into principal, is the most humiliating and disgraceful measure that a nation could take, and approximates with rapidity to absolute ruin: Yet it is the inevitable and certain consequence of such a system as the existing Confederation.