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.
Synonyms
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
As misery in Gaza lingers, Israel has faced increasing pressure, including from its own top ally, the U.S., to change tack in the war, especially with regards to the delivery of humanitarian aid.
—
Tia Goldenberg, arkansasonline.com, 11 Apr. 2024
No, what was off was the timing, the misery of the moment.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misery 
Tia Goldenberg, arkansasonline.com, 11 Apr. 2024
No, what was off was the timing, the misery of the moment.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misery
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near misery
Cite this Entry
“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misery. Accessed 5 May. 2024.
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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