Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
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wretched

adjective US /ˈretʃɪd/

of very poor quality or condition

How often you will meet it

Rank 1,882 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 9,543 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.

What it means

adjective

  1. of very poor quality or condition also: deplorable, execrable, miserable, woeful deplorable housing conditions in the inner citywoeful treatment of the accused
  2. characterized by physical misery also: miserable a wet miserable weekendspent a wretched night on the floor
  3. very unhappy; full of misery also: miserable, suffering he felt depressed and miserablea message of hope for suffering humanity
  4. morally reprehensible also: despicable, ugly, vile, slimy, unworthy, worthless would do something as despicable as murderugly crimes
  5. deserving or inciting pity also: hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable a hapless victimmiserable victims of war

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

wretched in real books

Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.

  • Prosperous or wretched, her destiny henceforth was linked with another.

    Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1

  • My lord of Suffolk, this wretched man's condition demands special attention.

    Windsor Castle · William Harrison Ainsworth · Chapter 2

  • Drove in a wretched Girl; who weeping stood, Whilst the cold rain dripp'd from her in a flood.

    Rural Tales, Ballads, and Songs · Robert Bloomfield · Chapter 1

  • Through his own wretched appearance and position he must develop for Katherine more clearly than ever Graham's superiority.

    The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1

  • Feigned acceptance when I asked, Lovely words with cunning masked, Holy vows but heart unholy; Wretched man, my trust was folly!

    Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia · Martha Foote [Editor] Crow · Chapter 1

Nearby in the frequency table

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