plural miseries
1
: a state of suffering and want that is the result of poverty or affliction
War brought misery to thousands of refugees.
2
: a circumstance, thing, or place that causes suffering or discomfort
the joys and miseries of life
3
: a state of great unhappiness and emotional distress
My former boss made my life a misery.
Examples of misery in a Sentence
The war brought misery to thousands of refugees.
They were living in overcrowded slums in conditions of great misery.
a source of human misery
the joy and misery of life
The last years of her life were a misery.
Stop being such a misery.
Recent Examples on the Web
Their relative misery even exceeds that of the Afghans and Iraqis.
—
John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Hungry people would not then have uploaded the image of the couple to TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, and all the other unfettered, unedited sites that traffic in human misery.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs, his big, ugly budget bill, and the havoc that his immigration raids are spreading in the vulnerable industries of agriculture, hospitality and construction will inflict misery on all but the wealthiest sectors of the economy.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
The suffering that Jews experience is common to so many others that its universality has created a measure of equality in the face of misery.
—Roya Hakakian, The Atlantic, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for misery
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John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Hungry people would not then have uploaded the image of the couple to TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, and all the other unfettered, unedited sites that traffic in human misery.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs, his big, ugly budget bill, and the havoc that his immigration raids are spreading in the vulnerable industries of agriculture, hospitality and construction will inflict misery on all but the wealthiest sectors of the economy.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
The suffering that Jews experience is common to so many others that its universality has created a measure of equality in the face of misery.
—Roya Hakakian, The Atlantic, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for misery
Cite this Entry
“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misery. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
misery
noun
mis·ery
ˈmiz-(ə-)rē 
plural miseries
1
: a state of great suffering and want due to poverty or misfortune
2
: a source of misery
3
: a state of unhappiness
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