# wretched

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɹɛt͡ʃɪd/ · frequency rank #17,997

## Definitions
1. Characterized by or feeling deep affliction or distress; very miserable.
2. Of an inferior or unworthy nature or social status; contemptible, lowly.
3. Of an insignificant, mean, or poor nature; miserable, paltry, worthless.
4. Of a person, etc.: behaving in a manner causing contempt; base, despicable, wicked.
5. Of weather: causing much discomfort; very unpleasant; miserable.
6. Used to express annoyance towards or dislike of someone or something: bloody, damned.

## Etymology
From Middle English wrecched (“(adjective) characterized by or suffering hardship or misfortune, miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; indigent, poor; of low economic or social status, lowly; (noun) miserable person”) [and other forms], from wrecche (“characterized by or suffering hardship or misfortune, miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; indigent, poor; of low economic or social status, lowly; base, contemptible, vile; reprehensible, wicked; miserly, stingy; of little importance, paltry, worthless”) (from Late Old English wrecc, from Old English wreċċa (“an exile, outcast”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wreg- (“to follow, track; to hunt”)) + -ed (suffix forming adjectives). The English word is analysable as wretch (“(obsolete) wretched”, adjective) + -ed (suffix forming adjectives).

## Easily confused with
- **wretch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wretch-vs-wretched)
- **watched** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/watched-vs-wretched)
- **wrecked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrecked-vs-wretched)
- **wrenches** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrenches-vs-wretched)

## Common misspellings (13)
`rwetched`, `wertched`, `wrecthed`, `wretcched`, `wretcehd`, `wretchde`, `wretchedd`, `wretchhed`, `wrethced`, `wrettched`, `wrretched`, `wrteched`, `wwretched`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wretched