wretched
/'retʃid/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Extremely unhappy or unfortunate: Describes a state of great misery, distress, or misfortune.
- Of poor quality or condition: Describes something that is very bad, unpleasant, or of low standard.
- Morally reprehensible or despicable: Describes a person or action that is contemptible or vile.
Examples of Usage
- Describing a state of misery:
- After losing his job and home, he led a wretched existence.
- The wretched prisoners had no hope of release.
- Describing poor quality:
- We had to stay in a wretched little hotel with no hot water.
- She made a wretched attempt to explain her absence.
- Describing contemptible character:
- It was a wretched, cowardly thing to do.
- The dictator was a wretched tyrant.
Advanced Usage
- "the wretched" (plural noun): Used to refer to people who are very unfortunate or miserable as a group.
- The charity aims to help the wretched of the earth.
- As an intensifier (informal): Used before a noun to express strong dislike or annoyance.
- I can't get this wretched computer to work!
- We've been stuck in this wretched traffic for hours.
Variants and Related Words
- Wretchedly (adverb): In a wretched manner.
- He failed wretchedly in his attempt to win her back.
- Wretchedness (noun): The state or quality of being wretched.
- The novel explores the depths of human wretchedness.
Synonyms
- Miserable: Very unhappy or uncomfortable.
- Deplorable: Deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad.
- Despicable: Deserving hatred and contempt.
- Pitiable: Deserving or arousing pity.
Antonyms
- Fortunate: Favored by or involving good luck.
- Excellent: Extremely good; outstanding.
- Admirable: Arousing or deserving respect and approval.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Wretch (noun): An unfortunate or unhappy person. (Note: This is the noun form from which 'wretched' is derived).
- The poor wretch had nowhere to go.
- To feel wretched: To feel very ill or unhappy.
- I've had the flu all week and I feel absolutely wretched.
Adjective
- 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
- morally reprehensible
- would do something as despicable as murder
- ugly crimes
- the vile development of slavery appalled them
- a slimy little liar
- very unhappy; full of misery
- he felt depressed and miserable
- a message of hope for suffering humanity
- wretched prisoners huddled in stinking cages
- characterized by physical misery
- a wet miserable weekend
- spent a wretched night on the floor
- of very poor quality or condition
- deplorable housing conditions in the inner city
- woeful treatment of the accused
- woeful errors of judgment