miserable
adjective
mis·er·a·ble
ˈmi-zər-bəl,
ˈmiz-rə-,
ˈmi-zə-rə-
1
a
: being in a pitiable state of distress or unhappiness (as from want or shame)
miserable refugees
b
: very sick
caught a cold and felt miserable
2
a
: wretchedly inadequate or meager (see meager sense 2)
a miserable hovel
b
: causing extreme discomfort or unhappiness
a miserable situation
miserable weather
his miserable childhood
3
: very unsatisfactory, disappointing, or unpleasant
did a miserable job
a miserable, wet weekend
4
a
: being likely to discredit or shame
the miserable neglect of his family
had a miserable, snide contempt for our country—
Joyce Winslow
Joyce Winslow
b
: deserving to be hated
a miserable tyrant
Synonyms of miserable
Examples of miserable in a Sentence
He had a miserable childhood.
My boss is making my life thoroughly miserable with her constant demands and criticism.
He felt lonely and miserable after his divorce.
I've had a miserable cold for the past week.
He lived in a miserable little shack.
Recent Examples on the Web
What started off as a miserable day to be outside due to temperatures well over 80, as well as a brief rainfall, all those issues were forgotten after once the skies cleared up.
—Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Despite concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could further squeeze a flagging labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months following a miserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
In 2022, a Walmart contractor posted a video from a store break room where an employee looked exhausted and miserable.
—Ann Larson, Time, 11 June 2026
In this very funny parody of portentous British novels about nature, a pragmatic young woman goes to live on the family farm with her cousins, the passionately miserable Starkadders, and decides to reform them.
—Namara Smith, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for miserable
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Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Despite concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could further squeeze a flagging labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months following a miserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
In 2022, a Walmart contractor posted a video from a store break room where an employee looked exhausted and miserable.
—Ann Larson, Time, 11 June 2026
In this very funny parody of portentous British novels about nature, a pragmatic young woman goes to live on the family farm with her cousins, the passionately miserable Starkadders, and decides to reform them.
—Namara Smith, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for miserable
Cite this Entry
“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miserable. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
miserable
adjective
mis·er·a·ble
ˈmiz-ər-bəl
ˈmiz-(ə-)rə-bəl
1
a
: shabby in condition or quality
a miserable place to live
b
: causing great discomfort or unhappiness
a miserable cold
2
: extremely poor or unhappy : wretched
miserableness
noun
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