# wretched

/ˈɹɛtʃɪd/ (US) · /ɹˈɛtʃɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wretched
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

feeling very unhappy, sick, or unlucky. It can also describe something of very poor quality that makes you feel annoyed.

For teachers: characterised by a state of extreme misery, misfortune, or poor quality. Often used to express a speaker's contempt or pity toward a subject.

## Examples

- The poor dog looked wretched out in the rain.
- After losing his job and his apartment in the same week, he felt truly wretched.
- The refugees were forced to live in wretched conditions, cramped into small metal shipping containers with no access to clean running water or electricity.

## Usage notes

- Can be used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after a linking verb like 'feel' or 'look'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.