wretched

Some of Mr. Spencer’s family stories—how his mother was kept from holding his elder brother, John, who died a few hours after birth—are wretched and empathetically told.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

In medieval Europe, leprosy was seen as a kind of transfigurative suffering: Those with the condition were believed to be so wretched in this life that they were virtually guaranteed respite in the hereafter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

In that case, you will likely find yourself traveling to or from the concourse on a wretched holdover of mid-century transportation design: the people mover.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

With three months to go in this wretched season, the MVP of the 2026 Angels is abundantly clear: Molly Jolly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Harriet Blaine wrote her daughter of the dilemma: "Poor dear Gaffy, how wretched it is! Wounded and sore and hurt to the death, he now to save his life, must dare to lose it."

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

I felt all the wretcheder for the lack of a breakfast.

From The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

The wretcheder are the contemners of all helps; such as presuming on their own naturals, deride diligence, and mock at terms when they understand not things.

From A Grammar of the English Tongue by Samuel Johnson

There’s nowt more wretcheder an we,    Or worthier an the rich, I praises ’em for bein’ born,    An’ ’eaven for makin’ sich.

From The Humourous Story of Farmer Bumpkin's Lawsuit by Richard Harris

"The wretcheder are the contemners of all helps."

From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown

Especially wretched young men; and the wretcheder one is, the more one smokes; and the more one smokes, the wretcheder one gets—a vicious circle!

From Peter Ibbetson by George Du Maurier

In the wretchedest slum quarter of Partinico. a pinched little town near Palermo, a man lay starving last week.

From Time Magazine Archive

Last week, on the 19th anniversary of that historic Dempsey-Carpentier battle, Jersey City was the scene of another heavyweight prize fight that will probably go down in history as the wretchedest of the post-Dempsey era.

From Time Magazine Archive

This was the wretchedest moment in his career.

From Through the Wall by Cleveland Moffett

Nay, Dickens himself sadly bewailed her fate, described himself as being the "wretchedest of the wretched" when it drew near, and shut himself from all society as if he had suffered a real bereavement.

From Life of Charles Dickens by Frank T. (Frank Thomas) Marzials

She was the wretchedest creature you ever set eyes on; thin as thin; and all haggard and wild.

From Tante by Anne Douglas Sedgwick