ˈmi-zər-bəl
1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
spent the night in a miserable jail cell
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
the awful news made us miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terrible
of low quality
a miserable meal that I wouldn't feed to a dog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
a miserable little apartment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in poor
deserving of one's pity
miserable refugees from the war-torn country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
that ugly mutt is one miserable excuse for a dog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of miserable
Corey Pronman,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
Despite concerns that the war in Iran would trip up an already wobbly labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months following a miserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Chris found the work miserable.
—
Keith O’Brien,
New Yorker,
25 June 2026
But the latter can also make life expensively miserable for the former.
—
Mark Gongloff,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for miserable
Adjective
Björck alone should make the Jets’ 2026 draft a win and help Jets fans move past the miserable season that led to the pick.
—
Corey Pronman,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
Despite concerns that the war in Iran would trip up an already wobbly labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months following a miserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Chris found the work miserable.
—
Keith O’Brien,
New Yorker,
25 June 2026
But the latter can also make life expensively miserable for the former.
—
Mark Gongloff,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for miserable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserable
Adjective
-
Houssem Aouar finally spied a gap in the Austrian defence and sent Mahrez through to score, sparking jubilation before Sasa Kalajdzic’s header confirmed a ridiculous ending to a game that was dramatic, bleak and then dramatic again.
-
Kehoe pointed to the state’s bleak finances in a statement explaining his cuts on Tuesday.
Adjective
-
The decade was an unhappy panorama of inflation, gas shortages, military humiliation, and revelations of political corruption.
-
On Tuesday, Paul urged Americans who are unhappy with the justices’ ruling to support his proposal.
Adjective
-
Thank you to everyone who read or contributed to this column over the years, who reached out to me with story ideas or tips, or complimented my terrible artwork.
-
Visitors will see his Rough Riders uniform; the 1884 diary grieving his terrible loss; and the eyeglasses case, speech and shirt from the 1912 assassination attempt against him.
Adjective
-
Sixteen children from the same family who were rescued from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living in wretched conditions with human waste all around, confined to just one room over much of the past four years, authorities said Wednesday.
-
The parents and grandparents of 16 children found living in a dilapidated house in southern Ohio were arraigned Wednesday on more than a dozen felony child endangerment charges, officials said.
Adjective
-
Because of that, these hands suffer from high production costs, poor durability against impacts, short operational lifespans, and there are no existing solutions that engineers can readily draw upon, Wang added.
-
The extreme heat can also affect people who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.
Adjective
-
Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
-
After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
Noun
-
Bournemouth are not a pauper club any more, but the performance this season has still be remarkable.
-
The Titanic is still a subject of worldwide fascination, in part because of the range of passengers aboard the ship, from paupers to plutocrats.
Adjective
-
His lonely life away from friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) included sleeping under the stairs.
-
Thrown into the thick of a ballet season, the dancer explained that there wasn’t time to be lonely.
Cite this Entry
“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserable. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
