1
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
why, you lousy cheater!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
the restaurant served a lousy meal that we shouldn't have had to pay for
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cheap
of low quality
a tacky store selling lousy souvenirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of lousy
In November and early December, as the Wild rebounded from a lousy first month, Wallstedt won seven consecutive starts and posted shutouts in three of them.
—
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
And might the Rockies fanbase turn its back on the team with another lousy year?
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Its Rotten Tomatoes score is currently sitting at a lousy 40%.
—Lindsey Bahr, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
No signs that the Blue Jackets were thoroughly frustrated with such a lousy effort and an ugly loss.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lousy
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
And might the Rockies fanbase turn its back on the team with another lousy year?
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Its Rotten Tomatoes score is currently sitting at a lousy 40%.
—Lindsey Bahr, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
No signs that the Blue Jackets were thoroughly frustrated with such a lousy effort and an ugly loss.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lousy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lousy
Adjective
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And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Injuries to key players on the Amazin’s contributed to some poor numbers as well.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Although poor students are disproportionately likely to receive special education in New York City, well-off disabled kids are the ones most acutely driving up the budget.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The delay seemed to Silva like one more indignity in a terrible series of events that began with her husband’s death in 2024.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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The logic here is peak modern NBA, and the league wants to make being slightly below average more rewarding than being truly terrible.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But by tweaking this archetype again and again, Chan transforms a cheap gimmick into a complex ecosystem of life-forms.—
Dawn Chan,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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The cheapest available seat was listed at $237 as of Friday evening.—
Annie Costabile,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The $1,800 donation, disclosed in a late campaign finance filing posted Monday, comes as the race remains crowded and unsettled ahead of the June 2 primary.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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The adjustable strap keeps it close to the body—ideal for navigating crowded streets and steep hills.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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These two beacons of truth and connoisseurs of mess have been bonded for over a decade, sharing the traumas of a crappy Boston dorm room and a pitiful Brooklyn dating scene.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
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Most of the time, experts say, vaguebooking boils down to a pitiful plea for attention on the part of the poster.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Those parties clinging to the outdated and socially unacceptable business model that relies on selling puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers are no longer welcome in nine states and over 520 localities and some are looking for a new home.—
Annie Hornish,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
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Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri denounced the attack as tragic and unacceptable during a visit to the village on Monday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
24 Apr. 2026
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There’s enough cop shows, stories about how horrible the world is, enough plot lines that are similar to each other.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lousy. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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