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

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

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

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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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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
Happy peasants, miserable millionaires Graham first spotted the pattern in China. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026 That and the two uniquely miserable Atlanta seasons under Morris’ guidance would normally be enough to gin up some bad feelings among the masses. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
Backup QBs Cam Miller (3-11, two picks) and Quinn Ewers (1-8, one pick) were a combined miserable. — Greg Cote august 16, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 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
  • Under Sorrells, morale at the office is bleak and has resulted in an exodus, according to two veteran prosecutors who left the office and spoke on the condition they not be identified.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Yet missing from this bleak picture are the ways that Ukraine has already adapted to escalating attacks.
    — Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • The electorate is frustrated and unhappy Voters were sour heading into Tuesday, with the midterm electorate deeply unhappy with the country’s direction and pessimistic about the future, according to The AP Voter Poll.
    — Jill Colvin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Voting is the only way out for anyone who’s unhappy with a government headed toward authoritarianism.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • The bat lay on its back, soggy and wretched, here in the waning hours of this terrible day.
    — Téa Obreht, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
  • An ugly fight between teammates during training camp was a terrible start to a season that officially began with a loss against North Carolina, a game in Dublin that TCU essentially sold, against the desires of Dykes.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • All of that came to a head aboard the dilapidated Honour 25, where a monthslong standoff came to a violent end last month.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Foreign buyers and investment funds have pushed up prices by buying Portuguese properties, including dilapidated buildings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • Disease that has spread to those organs is associated with poorer treatment outcomes.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.
    — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • In fact, the only previous cinematic encounter was the unfortunate 2003 live-action version with Mike Myers that flopped critically and at the box office, winning a pathetic 10 Razzie nominations as one of the worst pictures of that year.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Simply pathetic, but, MY LIONS stay close in the NFC North race and sets up what should be one of the biggest Thanksgiving Day games in Lions history when the Bears come to town on November 26.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 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
  • Popular imagination dismissed her as one of the lonely and disappointed women in a cardigan who peopled her novels, her books discarded as conservative and constricting.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Chenault’s stance seems an increasingly lonely one in corporate America.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of lonely

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miser
miserable
miserableness
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Cite this Entry

“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserable. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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