wretchedly
/ˈretʃɪdli/ (bre, ipa) · [rˈɛtʃɪdli] /ˈretʃɪdli/ (ame, ipa)
wretchedly — adverb
1. used before adjectives that name bad or low-quality things, adding the idea 'to
used before adjectives that name bad or low-quality things, adding the idea 'to a very severe degree' — for instance, wretchedly cold, wretchedly slow, or wretchedly low pay.
The weather was wretchedly cold on our trip, so we left a day early.
wretchedly + adjective (cold, poor, slow, low, bad)
The hotel room was wretchedly small, with barely enough space for one bed.
Apinya felt the service at the restaurant was wretchedly slow that evening.
The pay for that job was wretchedly low, so many people quit after a month.
Roya described the film as "wretchedly bad" in her online review.
- extremely
neutral intensifier, much more common; lacks the emotional sense of pity
- dreadfully
similar emotional force, slightly more informal
- terribly
common intensifier for negative adjectives; less strong than wretchedly
文法句型
wretchedly + adjective (describing something unpleasant)
用法筆記
Only used with negative adjectives or descriptions. Cannot be used with positive qualities (NOT 'wretchedly good').
2. describing how someone does something when they are suffering physically or emot
describing how someone does something when they are suffering physically or emotionally; acting with great unhappiness or misery — for instance, moaning wretchedly after an injury, or gazing wretchedly at someone with no hope left.
The injured cat meowed wretchedly until a neighbour came to help.
verb of sound + wretchedly (meowed, moaned, cried, coughed)
Charlotte sat on the hospital bed, looking wretchedly at the ceiling.
wretchedly with verbs of gaze (looked, stared, gazed)
"I've failed the exam again," Hiro said wretchedly, his head in his hands.
After three days with no food, the stranded hikers trembled wretchedly in the cold.
Sivan's grandmother coughed wretchedly all through the night.
- miserably
more common; can describe both appearance and manner
- painfully
emphasises physical suffering more than emotional
- pathetically
implies a pitiful quality, may carry a dismissive tone
文法句型
verb + wretchedly
用法筆記
Common in literary or narrative contexts. Often paired with verbs that describe sounds (moaned, groaned, coughed) or states of the body (shook, trembled, lay).