What does "deplorable" mean?
A person or thing that is to be deplored.
Deplorable
/dɪˈplɔːɹəbl̩/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person or thing that is to be deplored.
- Grammar: deplorable is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: condemnable, reprehensible, abominable, affecting.
- Useful contrasts: commendable, enlightened voters, excellent.
- Usage evidence: It is deplorable that she is so selfish.
How to use "deplorable"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "deplorable" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "deplorable" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "deplorable" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "deplorable" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person or thing that is to be deplored.
"[W]hat better is an old fellow, mauled with rheumatism and other deplorables."
- 2 A supporter of Donald Trump. US, derogatory, neologism, specifically
"He [Donald Trump] did not say who “the guys” were—but [John Maguire] Dowd knew he meant the Trump base, the crowds at his rallies, the Fox News watchers, the deplorables."
Adjective
- 1 To be deplored.; To be felt sorrow for; worthy of compassion; lamentable.
"We were all saddened by the deplorable death of his son."
- 2 To be deplored.; Deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad, wretched.
"Poor children suffer permanent damage due to deplorable living conditions and deplorable treatment by law enforcement."
Adjective
- 1 bad; unfortunate wordnet
- 2 bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure wordnet
- 3 of very poor quality or condition wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"It is deplorable that she is so selfish."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "deplorable"?
Common synonyms include: condemnable, reprehensible, abominable, affecting, afflictive, appalling.
How do you use "deplorable" in a sentence?
It is deplorable that she is so selfish.
How do you pronounce "deplorable"?
Pronounced /dɪˈplɔːɹəbl̩/.
Etymology
PIE word *de The adjective is borrowed from French déplorable (“lamentable, regrettable”), or from its etymon Late Latin dēplōrābilis + English -able (suffix meaning ‘relevant to, suitable to’). Dēplōrābilis is derived from Latin dēplōrō (“to bemoan, complain about; to bewail, lament, deplore”) + -ābilis (suffix meaning ‘able or worthy to be’); while dēplōrō is from dē- (intensifying prefix) + plōrō (“to cry out; to complain; to lament, deplore”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₃(w)- (“to flow; to swim”)). By surface analysis, deplore + -able. The noun is derived from the adjective. Noun sense 2 refers to a campaign speech by the American politician and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (born 1947) during the 2016 United States presidential election calling half of the supporters of her Republican opponent Donald Trump (born 1946) a “basket of deplorables”.