deplorable
/dɪˈplɔːrəb(ə)l
/adjective
1Deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable: children living in deplorable conditions...
- Even if their claims are exaggerated, any loss of life is deplorable and unacceptable.
- During the past two days, residents have been setting fires on the streets to highlight deplorable living conditions.
- Older people in the locality cannot recollect the roads ever having been in a more deplorable condition.
Synonyms
disgraceful, shameful, dishonourable, disreputable, discreditable, unworthy, shabby, inexcusable, unpardonable, unforgivable;
reprehensible, despicable, abominable, base, sordid, vile, hateful, contemptible, loathsome, offensive, execrable, heinous, odious, revolting, unspeakable, beyond contempt, beyond the pale
rare egregious, flagitious
1.1Shockingly bad in quality: her spelling was deplorable...
- Should you be able to communicate in Thai (my wife is Thai) you will find the quality of advice deplorable.
- Both sides made enough chances, but the finishing was deplorable, but strangely when the odd score came the quality was top drawer.
- The quality of the image is a bit deplorable at times but it really doesn't matter, it's what the people say that does.
Synonyms
lamentable, regrettable, grievous, unfortunate, wretched, dire, atrocious, abysmal, very bad, awful, terrible, dreadful, diabolical;
miserable, pitiable, pathetic, sorry, unhappy, sad, woeful;
substandard, poor, inadequate, inferior, unsatisfactory, unacceptable
informal appalling, rotten, crummy, lousy, God-awful
British informal chronic
dated frightful
Derivatives
deplorably
/ adverb ...- It also held that serious negligence that fell deplorably short of the standard patients are entitled to expect from their doctors could constitute serious professional misconduct.
- Writers working in languages other than English get deplorably little attention in Britain, so you can bet that the most underrated authors are ‘foreigners’ you've never read.
- I know someone - a gifted artist - who chose to give up her analysis rather than tell her analyst that she found his taste in paintings deplorably vulgar.
Origin
Early 17th century: from French déplorable or late Latin deplorabilis, from the verb deplorare (see deplore).