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.

Synonyms

• 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

The ongoing misery in Charlotte prompted a popular Panthers-centric podcast to throw in the towel. —Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025

But aid agencies say that Israel’s intensification of the war, particularly around Gaza City, has compounded the misery faced by Palestinians. —Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025

Here is where Orwell became radicalized by empathy, inching one step closer to being a sharp chronicler of misery, humanity, and his era. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025

This could herald an end not just to the acute suffering under this war, but also to the misery that has prevailed in the Strip, especially since 2007, when Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade in response to Hamas’s violent takeover of the territory. —Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing misery

• misery guts
• misery index
• put (an animal) out of its misery

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