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deplorable

deplorable

38 6.8
Very bad and unacceptable, deserving strong criticism
  • adjective
  • /dɪˈplɔːrəbəl/
translation icon : indignante
  • The conditions in the refugee camp were deplorable, making it difficult for families to live there.
  • deplorable conditions
  • deplorable living conditions
  • deplorable situation

Saying that you think veterans are suckers and losers is about as deplorable as you can get.

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Examples

  • For a field that hopes to be taken seriously, this is a deplorable situation.

    Academic text (1996)
  • These streets are in deplorable condition.

  • Do you want other examples of the deplorable situation in your schools?

    Academic text (1990)
  • The quality, of course, was deplorable, but did he care?

    Fiction book (2000)
  • But many millions of dollars spent on that science are showing that the bay is in deplorable condition.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Despite your best efforts with this World's Fair, the city seems to be getting more deplorable every day.

  • People like Ihor were rounded up and held in deplorable conditions.

  • Poor indigent Gypsy and non-Gypsy artists performed flamenco under a variety of deplorable conditions.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Overall, the debacle revealed a deplorable state of neglect in Mexico's emergency response and preparedness.

    Academic text (2006)
  • After the storm, the city's infrastructure was in a deplorable state, with many homes left in ruins.

Synonyms

terrible
vsdeplorable
1.0

Very bad or unpleasant and often serious

is stronger, adding shock and moral condemnatory weight
horrible
vsdeplorable
1.5

Very bad or frightening in a way that makes you feel upset

is more centered on moral wrongness and unacceptability
disgusting
vsdeplorable
531 1.3

Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making you feel sick

is more about moral shock and deserving severe condemnation
unacceptable
vsdeplorable
256 3.2

Not good enough or not allowed by rules

is stronger, adding shock and deserved strong condemnation
outrageous
vsdeplorable
192 4.2

Shocking and very wrong in a way that upsets people

is more about being unacceptable and deserving strong condemnation
despicable
vsdeplorable
  • Offensive
95 5.7

Very bad in a way that makes people feel strong dislike and disgust

is more about shock and broad social condemnation
criminal
vsdeplorable
90 3.7

Very wrong and deserving strong blame

is broader, not limited to illegal acts
shameful
vsdeplorable
89 4.7

Causing shame because it is morally wrong

is more about shock and strong public condemnation than private shame
appalling
vsdeplorable
87 5.6

Causing shock and strong disgust because it is very bad

is more about moral blame and deserved condemnation
horrendous
vsdeplorable
82 7.0

Very shocking and scary, causing fear or disgust

is more moral in focus, stressing deserved condemnation
vicious
vsdeplorable
71 4.9

Morally wrong or deserving strong criticism

is more about shocking unacceptability than deliberate wickedness
egregious
vsdeplorable
58 8.9

Very bad and obvious in a way that shocks people

is focused more on moral blame and social unacceptability
horrid
vsdeplorable
52 4.1

A very unpleasant thing that shocks or disgusts you

is more about deserving moral condemnation than just horror
reprehensible
vsdeplorable
  • Formal
50 7.9

Morally wrong and deserving strong criticism

is stronger in shock value and wider unacceptability
disgraceful
vsdeplorable
46 3.0

Very bad or shocking behaviour that makes people lose respect

is focused more on causing shock and moral condemnation generally
scandalous
vsdeplorable
  • Literature
43 5.0

Causing shock or strong disapproval by offending people's ideas of right and wrong

is broader, applying to any shocking wrongdoing, not only reputation harm
repugnant
vsdeplorable
42 7.8

Very unpleasant and morally wrong to most people

is more about causing shock and strong societal condemnation
obscene
vsdeplorable
  • Offensive
37 5.7

Very shocking and upsetting to many people because it breaks moral rules

is broader, not limited to sexual or explicit offendings
inexcusable
vsdeplorable
35 5.6

Too bad to be forgiven

is more about causing shock and moral outrage broadly
objectionable
vsdeplorable
31 6.7

Causing people to feel offended or want to protest

is more severe, involving shock and strong condemnation
distasteful
vsdeplorable
30 4.6

Something that makes people feel dislike or disgust

is harsher, implying shocking badness and condemnation
unsavory
vsdeplorable
  • US
29 7.2

Something people think is morally wrong or dishonest

is stronger, stressing shocking badness and public condemnation
abysmal
vsdeplorable
25 7.1

Very bad or of poor quality

is harsher, emphasizing shocking moral wrongness and condemnation
abominable
vsdeplorable
24 7.2

Very bad or morally wrong so people strongly dislike it

is more focused on public shock than only moral offence
abhorrent
vsdeplorable
23 7.7

Causing strong dislike or disgust because people see it as morally wrong

is more about being shockingly bad and worthy of condemnation
unworthy
vsdeplorable
  • Offensive
20 5.4

Deserves strong blame or dislike

is about shocking badness that draws strong public condemnation
atrocious
vsdeplorable
19 7.0

Being very bad and of low quality

is more about shocking moral unacceptability rather than mere poor quality
wretched
vsdeplorable
  • Offensive
15 7.1

Very bad in a moral way and deserving strong blame

is more about the sudden shock and broad public condemnation
damnable
vsdeplorable
  • Formal
10 8.5

Something that people strongly blame or hate for being very bad

is more focused on shocking badness rather than moral denunciation alone
detestable
vsdeplorable
9 6.5

Very unpleasant and causing people to feel strong dislike or hate

is more about shocking unacceptability rather than personal hatred
lamentable
vsdeplorable
  • Formal
6 6.7

Very bad and upsetting because it should not have happened

is stronger, involving shock and deserved strong condemnation
execrable
vsdeplorable
  • Formal
4 9.5

Very bad and unpleasant, causing strong dislike

is more about sudden shock and public outrage
godawful
vsdeplorable
  • Informal
4 8.2

Very bad and unpleasant, of poor quality

is more formal and emphasizes deserving strong condemnation
woeful
vsdeplorable
4 5.5

Very bad in quality or condition

is harsher, stressing shock and moral unacceptability
condemnable
vsdeplorable
1 7.5

Deserving strong criticism for being wrong

is more about being shockingly unacceptable beyond criticism
disgustful
vsdeplorable
6.7

Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making people feel sick

is stronger, focusing on moral unacceptability rather than mere revulsion

Antonyms

477 2.5

Good enough for a particular use or standard

27 4.6

Worth praising because it is good or done well

5 4.5

Deserving approval or admiration

How Bad

heinous
  • Formal
92 9.0
atrocious
19 7.0
deplorable
38 6.8
awful
1.0
bad
1.0

Surface Forms

deplorable positive
deplorabler comparative
deplorablest superlative

Morphology

deplorable = deplore (semi-transparent) = deplore + able

The suffix '-able' regularly gives the sense 'deserving to be deplored', but the common adjectival use has broadened into a general strong negative evaluation.

Etymology

Deplorable comes from Latin parts de- 'down' and plorare 'to cry out'. You can see the same root in the English verb deplore, which means 'to feel or say that something is very bad'. So, something deplorable is something people 'cry out' about because it is shockingly bad or unacceptable.