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

With Dunham as creator, showrunner and star, the original series followed a group of friends through the misery and dysfunction of their 20s in New York City. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Here's a recap — call it an oral history of misery — of how each team blew it on Sunday. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

For Palestinians, the anniversary brings another day of fear and misery. — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

But a horrible finish underscored by atrocious starting pitching and a 15-37 record across August and September sealed Colorado’s fate to join baseball’s infamous club of teams that have experienced extended misery. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 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