lousy

adjective

ˈlau̇-zē How to pronounce lousy (audio)
Definition of lousynext
1
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust why, you lousy cheater!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poor
falling short of a standard I actually play a pretty lousy game of tennis

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory the restaurant served a lousy meal that we shouldn't have had to pay for

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cheap
of low quality a tacky store selling lousy souvenirs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in crowded
possessing or covered with great numbers or amounts of something specified a Manhattan neighborhood that is lousy with wannabe actors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lousy The win was looked at as a bit of a comeback story, but most thought Hamilton was just coming back from a lousy 2025 season for him and Ferrari. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 Will there be rioting in the streets once audiences get some idea of how lousy Supergirl is? — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026 But August is a lousy month for northerns and — in the border lakes — for big walleyes. — Hank Bradshaw, Outdoor Life, 24 June 2026 The National Park Service, keeper of Independence Hall, has long tried to draw attention to the lousy condition of the buildings here. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lousy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lousy
  1. lame
  2. poor
  3. terrible
  4. cheap
  5. crowded
  6. pitiful
  7. unacceptable
  8. horrible
Adjective
  • Post-election powers Keisha Lance Bottoms has a message for Republicans who might be tempted to limit her powers in a lame-duck special session if the Democrat wins the race for governor in November.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • President John Adams, after losing his 1800 reëlection bid, used his lame-duck period to fill the judiciary with sympathizers.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • Dozens of companies have withdrawn over the past decades due to poor profits, an uncertain business outlook and concerns about harm to their reputations from making arms, especially lethal weapons.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, the audience can expect tons of humiliation, terrible second prizes, and the guarantee that Robertson will turn at least one poor soul's wrong turn into several minutes of unhinged public destruction.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Whether the outcome will be terrible or beautiful is unclear.
    — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Feral pigeons are famously terrible nest builders and are drawn to buildings and roofs with features like solar panels, chimneys, eaves, and AC units to make their homes.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • This is similar to what cruise lines do when moving ships between itineraries, often offering trips at a cheaper cost than traditional voyages.
    — Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Because they must be built out, rather than up, hyperscalers typically go to suburban or rural areas with relatively cheap land.
    — Greta Reich, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • Analysts warn that beyond crowded positioning and technical pullbacks, fundamental risks within the AI supply chain may also be emerging.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Gunfire erupts following victory celebration Prosecutors have alleged that an argument between two groups escalated into gunfire in the crowded celebration.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowded
Adjective
  • Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers.
    — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.
    — Hector Vickers, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Definition of pitiful
Adjective
  • That explanation, which was given to Quatraro on the field, clearly was unacceptable to the Royals manager.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Both noted that any sort of political violence is unacceptable.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

lousing up
lousy
lout
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Cite this Entry

“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lousy. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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