wretched
Very unhappy, or in a very poor and miserable state.
wretched in a sentence
- Soaked, shivering and hungry, the stray cat looked utterly wretched.
- Stuck at the bus stop in the pouring rain, the whole team felt completely wretched.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to wretched?
- Acheerful
- Bmiserable
- Ccomfortable
- Dhappy
Show the answer
B: miserable. The other three mean the opposite of wretched.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to wretched?
- Amiserable
- Bhappy
- Csad
- Dpitiful
Show the answer
B: happy. The other three mean nearly the same as wretched.
Words that mean something similar
miserable, sad, pitiful
Words that mean the opposite
happy, cheerful, comfortable
More words about emotions & feelings
- yearn: To want something so much that it almost hurts.
- zest: A feeling of great enjoyment and enthusiasm.
- affectionate: Showing love and fondness in a warm, caring way.
- aghast: Filled with shock and horror.
- agitated: Upset and unable to keep still or calm.
- alleviate: To make pain or trouble less bad.
- anguish: Very great sadness or pain.
- animated: Full of life, energy and excitement.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test