Lousy
/ˈlaʊ.zi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjRemarkably bad; of poor quality.
adjUnwanted and often unpleasant., Insufficient and less than expected of a good thing.
Sentence Examples
I expect it's his lousy personality that drives off the ladies.
Tom did a lousy job.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The customer complained about the ____ service because the food was cold.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I had a ____ time at the party because I didn't know anyone and the music was not to my taste at all.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English lousy, lowsy, lousi, equivalent to louse + -y.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Must have been a lousy school."
— 2021 September 15, Unknown minister, Singapore Parliament debates on 15 September 2021:
"The benignant influence crept like gas through the Row. […] And triangulation might possibly have located it in the Palace Flophouse and Grill. Certainly the Palace was lousy with it. Mack and the boys were charged. Jones was seen to leap from his chair only to do a quick tap dance and sit down again."
— 1945, John Steinbeck, Cannery Row:
"[I talked to] Annabeth about the Greek gods who hung out in New York and made her life difficult. Apparently North America was lousy with ancient gods. We had a full-blown infestation."
— 2016, Rick Riordan, The Hammer of Thor, page 6:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The customer complained about the ____ service because the food was cold.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I had a ____ time at the party because I didn't know anyone and the music was not to my taste at all.