misery

noun

mis·​ery ˈmi-zə-rē 

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.

We had to put the animal out of its misery. [=end the animal's suffering by killing it]

Synonyms of misery

• agony
• nightmare
• torture
• horror
• torment

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

Feverish with feeling, the women scream, wail and sob, each one experiencing her misery multiply in real time as the remaining two look on in disdain. — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Giannoulias hasn’t taken a dime from AIPAC — the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — in this campaign, but that didn’t stop the mayor from attempting to tie Giannoulias to the misery in the Middle East. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

The Strip had been largely obliterated in the war between Hamas and Israel, and most of its two million inhabitants were living in tents or in the ruins; images of human misery had flooded screens around the world. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

That winter, Kiju and I suffered together but separately, content in our misery. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing misery

• misery guts
• misery index

Kids 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