Definition of miserynext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun misery differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of misery are agony, distress, and suffering. While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

the homeless live with misery every day

When could agony be used to replace misery?

The synonyms agony and misery are sometimes interchangeable, but agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

When is it sensible to use distress instead of misery?

The meanings of distress and misery largely overlap; however, distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

When is suffering a more appropriate choice than misery?

The words suffering and misery are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of misery That’s a recipe for in-flight misery. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026 About 12 million Africans were forcefully taken by traders from European nations from the 16th to the 19th century and enslaved on plantations that built wealth at the price of misery. ABC News, 19 June 2026 Mark Carey How did Wissa make up for a year of misery? Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 June 2026 So the roughly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza are now living in greater misery than ever. Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for misery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misery
Noun
  • Adding to Rezaeian’s agony, right before the final whistle another potential clincher, a header from Khalilzadeh, hit the crossbar.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 28 June 2026
  • The agony of Sudan runs deep; its history is crisscrossed with blood.
    Janine di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • Watch closely for signs of heat distress in yourself and others, including your neighbors and the elderly, Delaney said.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Never upside down — The flag should never be displayed upside down except as a signal of distress.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • Now imagine all their parents having nightmares that this was their university experience.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • From dream home to disaster But faster than a rushing river, that dream became a nightmare when disastrous flooding hit Kerr County last summer.
    Bo Evans, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • The families of the victims said the pain is still as raw to this day.
    Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • The first shingles vaccine was licensed in 2006, and the more effective Shingrix vaccine was introduced in 2017, greatly reducing the risk of shingles and long-term nerve pain, according to the CDC and FDA.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said al-Salem will face a trial of facts next year on murder and torture allegations but he won't be required to appear in court.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • In 2019, David and Louise Turpin pleaded guilty to torture and years of abuse that included shackling some of their 13 children at their home in California, starving them and providing only a minimal education.
    Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Some mourners, gathering at the funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday, expressed both anguish and a desire for vengeance.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • And with that decision, the company narrowed the chance that the mother’s anguish could draw attention to any danger the formula might pose to other infants.
    David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Wingate weaves this historical horror with a modern-day mystery, illustrating the lasting trauma of children stolen for profit and the unbreakable bond of blood.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
  • Now, will Hollywood actually learn anything from the success of the low-budget horror flick?
    David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early left the game after the fourth inning with left elbow discomfort.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • But protecting children from failure and discomfort is not the same as protecting children.
    Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misery. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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