WordGarden.iolousy
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈaʊsi/
US
- /ˈlaʊzi/
Meanings
Adjective
very bad; poor in quality or experience
feeling sick or physically unwell
infested with lice
Beyond the definition
If something is lousy, it is very bad, unpleasant, or disappointing. You can use it for things, experiences, or even how you feel. A rainy day where everything goes wrong can feel like a lousy day. A musical performance can be lousy if the band plays badly, and you might say you have a lousy cold when you feel especially sick and miserable. The word originally referred to having lice, so it still carries an old sense of something dirty or unwanted. It is an informal word people use when they want to show clear dissatisfaction.
The word lousy is a surprisingly versatile adjective used to describe things that are extremely poor in quality, unpleasant, or beneath a standard of excellence. Its origins are rather… itchy. It stems from the word "louse," the singular form of "lice," referring to the tiny parasitic insects that infest hair and skin. Historically, being "lousy" meant literally being covered in lice—a truly uncomfortable and undesirable condition!
Over time, the meaning broadened to encompass anything considered substandard or awful. You might describe a movie as lousy if the acting is wooden and the plot makes no sense. A lousy excuse is one that is unconvincing and "doesn't hold water." Furthermore, the word is frequently used to describe physical health; when you say "I feel lousy," you are telling people you feel sick, exhausted, or generally under the weather.
Beyond just being bad, lousy can also be used in the idiom "lousy with," which means to be swarming or overflowing with something—usually something unwanted. For example, a kitchen might be "lousy with ants," or a popular beach might be "lousy with tourists."
It is important to remember that lousy is strictly informal. While it is perfect for a casual conversation with friends to express frustration, you should avoid using it in formal reports or academic papers. Whether you are describing a terrible experience, poor workmanship, or a bout of the flu, lousy remains a colorful and emotive way to say that something is decidedly not good.
Examples
- 1
Bad food
The food was lousy, but everyone was too hungry to complain.
- 2
Weather
We had lousy weather for the whole trip.
- 3
Feeling ill
I skipped work because I felt lousy that morning.
- 4
Public services
The bus service around here is lousy after 9 p.m.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Ability
I'm lousy at remembering names.
- Patternlousy at + activity
not good at it
- 6
Guilt
She felt lousy about cancelling at the last minute.
- Patternfeel lousy about + action
feel bad or guilty about it
- 7
Too many
In August, the beach is lousy with tourists.
- Patternlousy with + plural noun
full of something, usually too many
- 8
Insulting amount
He still hasn't paid me the lousy ten dollars he owes me.
- Patterna lousy + amount
a small amount that feels annoying or insulting
See also
Forms and spellings
3 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- lousyadjective
Forms
- lousiestsuperlativeadjective
- lousiercomparativeadjective