miserable 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmi-zər-bəl
Definition of miserablenext
1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer spent the night in a miserable jail cell

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness the awful news made us miserable

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terrible
of low quality a miserable meal that I wouldn't feed to a dog

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect a miserable little apartment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in poor
deserving of one's pity miserable refugees from the war-torn country

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6
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy) that ugly mutt is one miserable excuse for a dog

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

miserable

2 of 2

noun

as in pauper

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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
Adjective
George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb will make life miserable for opposing secondaries. — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Cyclosporiasis can be treated with antibiotics and is usually not life-threatening, but the miserable symptoms may persist for a month or more. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 23 July 2026 Many people are avoiding lettuce in the midst of the ongoing outbreak of Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that can contaminate fresh produce and cause days—or even weeks—of miserable gastrointestinal illness. — Angela Haupt, Time, 22 July 2026 Musk has his own army of devout followers, too, but the difference is that Musk is constantly miserable, alienating even some of his own followers with his extreme takes. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for miserable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserable
  1. bleak
  2. unhappy
  3. terrible
  4. dilapidated
  5. poor
  6. pathetic
  7. pauper
  8. lonely
Adjective
  • Eventually, a gun-free compromise was found, though the opening act of the movie would remain surprisingly bleak and emotionally complex.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Some of them are orphans or runaways, and so the environment is pretty bleak.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Even Republicans appear to be increasingly unhappy with the prolonged conflict.
    — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 29 July 2026
  • But Buckingham Palace staff are reportedly unhappy again about the idea of accommodating the duke.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • My scheduler needed no prompting to tell me the system was terrible.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • During that terrible season, 71% of California Dungeness boats stopped fishing and more than 200 jobs were lost.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Officials remain optimistic the project’s kickoff will reinvigorate residents to return to the dilapidated area.
    — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • Its current chapter as a travel venue is helmed by the Greene family, who bought the property in 2000 and began to restore it from a dilapidated state.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • Headline figures such as tasks completed, queries handled or hours saved can look impressive while concealing errors, rework, poor customer outcomes and escalating operating expenses.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Habits like poor sleep, heavy drinking and smoking often make things worse, and work pressure, financial strain and caring for aging parents can compound the effects.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Despite the Warriors operating with a pathetic sense of self-mortification — bending over backward for the mere possibility the King might grace them with his presence — the power of friendship wasn’t enough to lure James to the Bay.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
  • Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
    — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of pathetic
Noun
  • After Blake Street Cemetery stopped accepting new burials in 1931, New Haven began relying on another paupers’ cemetery located on Woodin Street.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
  • That honest job has, across four generations, fed prime ministers and paupers, cooked for the King and Queen, and quietly funded a one-man legal aid service for survivors of abuse.
    — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of pauper
Adjective
  • That’s why even a creator with millions of followers can be lonely inside a system.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • One problem with all these efforts to mitigate old-age loneliness, Schiller notes, is that the loneliest generation is actually Gen Z.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of lonely

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miserable
miserableness
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Cite this Entry

“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserable. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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