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
That system, Fritz Alphonse Jean said, has fueled immense misery and social inequalities as well as the current gang violence that has a desperate population urgently calling for help.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
Indian spiritual leader and environmental campaigner Sadhguru has spoken to Newsweek about the nation's mental health, offering his secret to achieving a good state of mind by choosing joy or misery.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
In the wake of Columbine, films such as Elephant and We Need to Talk About Kevin wrestled with the reasons why kids take up arms to express their misery.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the same lake displayed devastation and misery after an armed group called M23 captured the lakeside city of Goma last month.
—Guerchom Ndebo, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misery
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
Indian spiritual leader and environmental campaigner Sadhguru has spoken to Newsweek about the nation's mental health, offering his secret to achieving a good state of mind by choosing joy or misery.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
In the wake of Columbine, films such as Elephant and We Need to Talk About Kevin wrestled with the reasons why kids take up arms to express their misery.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the same lake displayed devastation and misery after an armed group called M23 captured the lakeside city of Goma last month.
—Guerchom Ndebo, New York Times, 19 Feb. 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 12 Mar. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share