Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of wretched

120 similar words

Another word for wretched is bad. Other synonyms of wretched are depressed, miserable, unhappy, heavy-hearted and low-grade.

Synonyms and similar words for wretched

adjectiveCharacterized by or feeling deep affliction or distress; very miserable.

  • dejectedSad and dispirited.
  • atrabiliary
  • atrabilious
  • deplorableDeserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad, wretched.
  • depressing
  • distressingCausing distress; upsetting; distressful.
  • grievous
  • heartbreakingThat causes great grief, anguish or distress.
  • heartrending
  • lamentableCausing sorrow, distress or regret; deplorable, pitiful or distressing.
  • mournfulFilled with grief or sadness; being in a state in which one mourns.
  • regrettableAble to be regretted, especially deserving of regret.
  • rueful
  • sadPoor in quality, bad; shameful, deplorable; later, regrettable, poor.
  • saddeningCausing feelings of sadness.
  • sorrowfulExhibiting sorrow; dejected; distraught; sad. (of a person).
  • tragic
  • unhappyNot happy; sad.
  • upsetting
  • woebegoneOf a person: deeply affected or overwhelmed by suffering or trouble, and so filled with woe (“great distress or...
  • woefulFull of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity.
  • blithelessWithout happiness or joy; unjoyful; sorrowful; sad.
  • dispiritedWithout energy, gusto or drive, enervated, without the will to accomplish, disheartened.
  • blueDepressed, melancholic, sad.
  • bummed outDepressed, disappointed, in a gloomy mood.
  • chapfallenCrestfallen, dejected.
  • cheerlessDevoid of cheer; gloomy.
  • chopfallenSynonym of chapfallen.
  • crestfallen
  • cut up Australia, UKEmotionally upset; mentally distressed.
  • damp figuratively
  • depressedUnhappy; despondent.
  • despondentIn low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
  • disgruntledIn a dissatisfied, frustrated, or upset mood; in a bad temper or ill humour.
  • disconsolateSeemingly beyond consolation; inconsolable.
  • disheartenedDiscouraged, despairing.
  • dismalDepressing, dreary, cheerless.
  • dolefulFilled with grief, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness.
  • dolesomeCharacterised or marked by sorrow and grief; doleful; dismal; gloomy.
  • downSad, unhappy, depressed, feeling low.
  • down in the dumpsSad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.
  • down in the mouthSad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.
  • downcastOf a person: feeling despondent or discouraged.
  • downheartedSad, discouraged, in low spirits, unhappy, having no hope.
  • downsomeLow-spirited; melancholy.
  • dullBored, depressed, down.
  • elegiacExpressing sorrow or mourning.
  • elegiousMelancholy, miserable, plaintive.
  • forlornPitifully sad, wretched, miserable; lonely, especially from feeling abandoned, deserted, forsaken.
  • gloomySuffering from gloom; melancholy; dejected.
  • glumDespondent; moody; sullen.
  • grief-strickenVery sad.
  • grievingFeeling or showing sorrow or distress due to loss, especially the death of someone.
  • heavy-heartedSad, melancholic.
  • heartsoreHeartsick.
  • heartsickVery despondent or sorrowful; heartsore.
  • inconsolableNot consolable; unable to be consoled or comforted, usually due to grief, disappointment, or other distress.
  • infelicitous
  • jawfallenDejected, dispirited.
  • joylessWithout joy; unhappy, sad.
  • lachrymoseTearful, sorrowful, sad, pertaining to tears, weeping, causing tears or crying.
  • lowNot high in status, esteem, or rank, dignity, or quality. (Compare vulgar.).
  • low-spiritedDisheartened, feeling low, in low spirits.
  • lugubriousGloomy, mournful or dismal, especially to an exaggerated degree.
  • melancholicFilled with or affected by melancholy—great sadness or depression, especially of a thoughtful or introspective nature.
  • melancholyAffected with great sadness or depression.
  • miserableIn a state of misery: very sad, ill, or poor.
  • moodySulky or depressed.
  • mopeyGiven to moping; in a depressed condition, low in spirits; lackadaisical.
  • moroseSullen, gloomy; showing a brooding ill humour.
  • plaintiveSounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic.
  • PlutonianOf, relating to, or having characteristics associated with the underworld; dark, gloomy; mournful.
  • PlutonicSynonym of Plutonian (“of, relating to, or having characteristics associated with the underworld; dark, gloomy...
  • querulousOften complaining; suggesting a complaint in expression; fretful, whining.
  • ruthfulFull of sorrow; sorrowful; woeful; rueful.
  • saddened
  • saturnineOf a person: having a tendency to be cold and gloomy.
  • shatteredEmotionally defeated or dispirited.
  • solemn
  • sombreMelancholic, gloomy, dreary, dismal; grim.
  • sorrow-riddenFilled with sorrow or sorrows.
  • sorrowsomeMarked by sorrow; sad; dreary; sorrowful.
  • spiritlessLacking energy, drive, motivation or emotion. Enervated.
  • sullenGloomy; dismal; foreboding.
  • threneticSorrowful; mournful.
  • threneticalThrenetic.
  • uncheerfulNot cheerful.
  • uncheeryNot cheery; gloomy, pessimistic.
  • unconsolableSynonym of inconsolable.
  • unlivelyNot lively.
  • wistfulSad and thoughtful.
  • wretchful archaic, obsoleteWretched.
  • lachrymable archaicLamentable.
  • lamentful rareReplete with lamentation; mournful.
  • lumpish obsoleteMiserable, sad.
  • passionate obsolete
  • triste rareSad; sorrowful; gloomy.
  • tristful archaicSad, melancholic.
  • woe obsoleteWoeful; sorrowful.

adjectiveOf an inferior or unworthy nature or social status; contemptible, lowly.

  • baseOf low value or degree.
  • lousyRemarkably bad; of poor quality.
  • low-gradeOf inferior quality.
  • ass slang, vulgarOf low quality; bad.
  • badOf low quality.
  • below par
  • bottom-shelfCheap or low-quality.
  • BTEC UKLow-quality or inferior.
  • bumOf poor quality or highly undesirable.
  • cheapOf poor quality.
  • cheap and nasty UKCheap and of bad quality.
  • cheapshit vulgarCheap; shoddy; of inferior quality.
  • cheesyCheap, of poor quality.
  • chintzy figurativelyTastelessly showy; cheap, gaudy, or tacky.
  • coffee-and derogatory, slangCheap, second-rate.
  • crap slang, vulgarOf poor quality.
  • crappo slangOf very low quality; crap, lousy.
  • crappy vulgarOf very poor quality; unpleasant; distasteful.
  • craptastic slang, vulgarOf extremely poor quality.
  • crapperific slang, vulgarExtremely awful.
  • craptabulous slang, vulgarExtremely awful.

Meaning of wretched

  1. adjective Characterized by or feeling deep affliction or distress; very miserable.
  2. adjective Of an inferior or unworthy nature or social status; contemptible, lowly.
  3. adjective Of an insignificant, mean, or poor nature; miserable, paltry, worthless.

Full definition of wretched

wretched in other languages

Questions about synonyms of wretched

What is another word for wretched?
Wretched has 120 synonyms on Word.ws, such as bad, depressed, miserable, unhappy, heavy-hearted, low-grade, low-spirited and grief-stricken.
What does wretched mean?
Wretched means characterized by or feeling deep affliction or distress; very miserable.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: wretched (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of wretched.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/wretched. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.