wretched
Meaning
- Characterized by or feeling deep affliction or distress; very miserable.
- Of an inferior or unworthy nature or social status; contemptible, lowly.
- Of an insignificant, mean, or poor nature; miserable, paltry, worthless.
- Of a person, etc.: behaving in a manner causing contempt; base, despicable, wicked.
- Of weather: causing much discomfort; very unpleasant; miserable.
- (informal) Used to express annoyance towards or dislike of someone or something: bloody, damned.
Synonyms
good-for-naught
very small
unlucky person
destitute of employment
not belonging to an Arya
of a wicked record
hard pressed
Frequency
Hyphenated as
wretch‧ed
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈɹɛt͡ʃɪd/
Etymology
From Middle English wrecched (“(adjective) characterized by or suffering hardship or misfortune, miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; indigent, poor; of low economic or social status, lowly; (noun) miserable person”) [and other forms], from wrecche (“characterized by or suffering hardship or misfortune, miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; indigent, poor; of low economic or social status, lowly; base, contemptible, vile; reprehensible, wicked; miserly, stingy; of little importance, paltry, worthless”) (from Late Old English wrecc, from Old English wreċċa (“an exile, outcast”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wreg- (“to follow, track; to hunt”)) + -ed (suffix forming adjectives). The English word is analysable as wretch (“(obsolete) wretched”, adjective) + -ed (suffix forming adjectives).
Bookmark this
Improve your pronunciation
'%3e%3c/path%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cmarker%20markerWidth='4.5'%20markerHeight='4.5'%20refX='2.25'%20refY='2.25'%20viewBox='0%200%204.5%204.5'%20orient='auto'%20id='SvgjsMarker4023'%3e%3cpolygon%20points='0,4.5%201.5,2.25%200,0%204.5,2.25'%20fill='white'%3e%3c/polygon%3e%3c/marker%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Start learning English with learnfeliz.
Practice speaking and memorizing "wretched" and many other words and sentences in English.
Go to our English course page
Notes
Sign in to write sticky notes
Questions
