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
In the second round against the Sabres, the Canadiens adapted to a highly mobile and skilled defense corps that regularly jumped into the rush and made life miserable defensively.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Their hitting coach, pitching coach and manager Kurt Suzuki‘s terrible management are much higher on the list of what’s wrong with this miserable team this year.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Hellerer was an executive at Google and began feeling miserable in her corporate life, having panic attacks and vomiting in the bathroom.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 22 May 2026
The last time the world experienced profound technological change was during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when wages stagnated, working conditions were miserable and a few got rich.
—Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for miserable
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Sean Gentille, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Their hitting coach, pitching coach and manager Kurt Suzuki‘s terrible management are much higher on the list of what’s wrong with this miserable team this year.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Hellerer was an executive at Google and began feeling miserable in her corporate life, having panic attacks and vomiting in the bathroom.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 22 May 2026
The last time the world experienced profound technological change was during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when wages stagnated, working conditions were miserable and a few got rich.
—Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 19 May 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 24 May. 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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