misery

noun

mis·​ery ˈmi-zə-rē How to pronounce misery (audio)
ˈmiz-rē
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.
Choose the Right Synonym for misery

distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble.

distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

some people live in misery every day

agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

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
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.
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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misery was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misery. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

misery

noun
mis·​ery ˈmiz-(ə-)rē How to pronounce misery (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on misery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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