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 Drivers play nice and behave, saving each other from rage, being late, or the misery of a crash. Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 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 Knicks fans know all about the misery part. Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2026 Their pairing begs the question of whether misery and mirth alternate, blend, or coexist. Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for misery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misery
Noun
  • The agony of Sudan runs deep; its history is crisscrossed with blood.
    Janine di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026
  • Or at least movies about soccer can, engaging with themes of race and gender, ego, hubris, economics, politics, fandom, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat — as well as, of course, unadulterated athleticism.
    Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • The Hoffmans are suing Boelter for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 24 June 2026
  • Not to mention smoking hot Hart Bochner as the himbo-in-distress.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Throw in an undercover mission to catch a mall theft ring and Riley’s got herself a true nightmare before Christmas.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 26 June 2026
  • What initially seems like the perfect place for a rescue mission quickly turns into a nightmare.
    Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
    Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026
  • The pain from high tuition does not stem from extraordinary tuition growth but rather from the lack of a commensurate growth rate in median family income.
    Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Tuesday that practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement cannot sue tech giant Cisco over allegations of aiding the Chinese government’s surveillance and torture of the group.
    Sophie Brams, The Hill, 23 June 2026
  • Surviving former residents alleged that rape and torture had been routine there for decades, especially under segregation, when Black boys bore the worst of the abuse.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • Their mother cried out in anguish.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, hundreds remained missing, leading to a wave of anguish among relatives and friends.
    Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Last year, voters showed a growing acceptance of the horror genre by awarding Oscars to Sinners and Weapons.
    Sophia Morano, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • This was to be a video game for horror fans, rather than targeted at people who were already inclined to seek out digital games.
    Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz left the game with left hamstring discomfort in the fourth inning.
    CBS News, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • From sky-high heels and stiff business attire to bulky belts and even barefoot passengers (yes, that happens), these in-flight missteps can lead to unnecessary discomfort—or worse, a hygiene horror story.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misery. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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