1
a
: very unhappy
He had a miserable childhood.
My boss is making my life thoroughly/utterly miserable with her constant demands and criticism.
He felt lonely and miserable after his divorce.
b
: very sick or unwell
She drank too much and felt miserable [=wretched, rotten] the next day.
2
: very severe or unpleasant
I've had a miserable cold for the past week.
We've been having miserable weather. = The weather has been miserable.
3
: very poor in condition or quality
He lived in a miserable little shack.
miserable [=wretched] living conditions
4
always used before a noun
: very bad
He did a miserable job making the sign. [=he made the sign very poorly]
The business was a miserable failure.
Their trip turned out to be a miserable experience.
She has a miserable temper.
the miserable state of the economy
5
always used before a noun
: deserving to be hated
Their boss is a rotten, miserable tyrant.
Cite this Entry
“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/miserable. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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