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as in poor
falling short of a standard I actually play a pretty lousy game of tennis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Every tech company will tout its features and automation and workflows and AI tools but if the data is lousy the results will be lousy. Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 The circuit does a lousy job of promoting this game. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2025 For months, economists have warned that consumers faced an affordability crunch, a prediction supported by a lousy first quarter G.D.P. report. Grady McGregor, New York Times, 30 May 2025 Garages, lousy bars, the corners of parking lots where allied coworkers chain smoke—DeYoung is arguing, again and again, that these totally unremarkable scraps of communion are the antidote to the latent evil that comes with isolation. Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lousy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lousy
Adjective
  • As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.
    Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021
  • My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.
    Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
  • Job Corps, established in 1964, provides education and vocational training to disadvantaged youth but has been criticized by the Labor Department for poor outcomes and safety issues.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
  • Massive clouds of pollutants could collide in North Carolina this week and result in poor air quality conditions for millions.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • And these are the same Oilers who, after a terrible 6-1 loss in Game 3 to the Panthers, overcame a three-goal deficit in Game 4 to even the series.
    Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 June 2025
  • Outside of getting to play a grand slam event in his backyard, Thomas has been downright terrible in the sport's four biggest tournaments.
    Gerrit Ritt, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 June 2025
Adjective
  • This means some fans will be watching Messi for as little as $4, which is a far cry from the cheapest seats being cast at $349 when the draw was made in December.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 14 June 2025
  • Those posts are relatively cheap to purchase and install.
    Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Polling has shown that Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot who represents the state's 11th Congressional District, leads the crowded Democratic field, but the race could still be anyone’s to win.
    Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 10 June 2025
  • The warm-water experiences tend to be the most crowded, popular for their respiratory and joint pain relief.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • For better or worse, high-end eco-resorts of this type tend to focus on hyper-local ingredients often grown in a pitiful little garden behind the kitchen.
    Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
  • From ’01 to ’20, the Knicks played in only 30 postseason games, posting a pitiful 9-21 record.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • And sometimes the soldiers can do things which are totally unacceptable and can be called crimes.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 June 2025
  • Shamkhani underscored that the absence of sanctions relief rendered the U.S. plan unacceptable.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Even with the horrible start the Red Sox still nearly came all the way back, twice drawing to within one run, but the club couldn’t get over the hump.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025
  • We were made aware of this horrible activity by Priscilla Olivarez from ILRC, at our annual conference Convening 2025, held in San Antonio.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lousy. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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