wretch

noun

ˈrech How to pronounce wretch (audio)
Definition of wretchnext
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person the clerk was an ungrateful wretch who stole money from his employer's cash register

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wretch Her expressions, her movements, her delivery — all of it makes Carol more complex than just a miserable wretch. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 3 Dec. 2025 As Blake transforms into a swollen, oozing wretch who gnaws frantically on his own wounds, his family appears as glowing-eyed aliens, their words a jumble of indecipherable sounds. — Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 Only Martin — cast as a Dickensian wretch by Bonitzer’s legion of myopic elites, but always quietly acting against type — reserves the right to determine his own worth. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025 The elegant sets and lavish costume designs are stunning, as is Jacob Elordi's multi-faceted performance as the intelligent wretch stitched together from corpses. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Dec. 2025 The first time, Julian’s children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning) seemed like miserable, greedy wretches. — Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretch
  1. villain
  2. brute
  3. monster
  4. savage
  5. devil
  6. criminal
  7. offender
  8. beast
Noun
  • There are probably easier ways to mount a crime thriller steeped in gritty realism than centering it on a villain made of gas.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • That doesn’t mean Netherlands players are villains, or anything less than heroes for their country.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • Shinnecock was still a brute of a test, but the red numbers on the white scoreboard were an unfamiliar site for this course.
    — Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • These brutes commonly exceed 50 pounds.
    — Keith Sutton, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026
Definition of brute
Noun
  • Go on, put the 131-cube (2,147 cc) monster engine into that one.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
  • There’s no way the doll monsters at the pond were the whole point of the Lake of Tears, right?
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of monster
Noun
  • Schoolchildren meet veterans from the savage fight in Ukraine.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Perhaps the most striking thing about this savage beatdown is its sweetly melodic backing track.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Definition of savage
Noun
  • Also called devil's snare, the plant's seeds, roots, stems, and leaves are all dangerous if ingested.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 22 June 2026
  • Beloved baby brother, American [WWII bronze star veteran], husband, father of 4 strong women, [grandpa], adorable scamp, handsome devil, and trickster to the end.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
Definition of devil
Noun
  • Data that appears to be compliance information to a regulator can appear to be a target list to a criminal.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The Colorado attorney general oversees more than 700 attorneys and staff and manages legal manners spanning consumer protection, civil rights, criminal, water, constitutional and environmental law.
    — Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Independence Day celebrations come in the most challenging threat environment since 9/11, with the ongoing terror threat, a rise in political violence and continuing fears about lone-wolf offenders, according to Raia.
    — Luke Barr, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • There were also concerns listed in the analysis that the registry, which dates back to 1947, could include LGBTQ+ offenders from decades ago who were convicted of offenses that are no longer crimes.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • Each song is about a different mythical beast, with a moral within each story.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 29 June 2026
  • Perhaps another beast could be used for making hamburgers instead.
    — David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
Definition of beast

Browse Nearby Words

wrests
wretch
wretched
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Cite this Entry

“Wretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretch. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of wretch for Spanish Speakers

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