noun
wretch
A person who is suffering or deserves pity.
The poor wretch shivers in the cold without a coat.
Etymology
The older word names someone driven out or displaced. It developed a broader sense for an unfortunate person deserving pity.
More examples
- Someone get this hungry wretch a bowl of soup.
- After three sleepless nights, I feel like a miserable wretch.
- The exhausted wretches huddle together, waiting to be rescued.
Forms
wretch · wretches
wretched adjective — Very unhappy or in great distress.
Similar words
- sufferer
- Emphasizes experiencing pain or hardship rather than deserving pity.
- victim
- Identifies someone harmed by a particular event or person.