What she had not expected was the wretched state in which they were kept.

And come from some wretched little state which no one had heard of before the suggested marriage.

Even so, the church was by this time in a wretched state, and a new Catholic church had to be built.

I got the strong impression that she thought Father was himself responsible for his wretched state.

The wretched state of the city's traffic signals doesn't help.

Then I marvel that so wretched a state does not drive people to despair.

I should, of course, do myself no favour by dumping property on the market in its present wretched state.

This indifference to its wretched state was a further cause for alarm.

The scapegoat has done its duty, but it is in a wretched state.

The woman was obviously in a wretched state of fear.