1
as in agony
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
the flood brought misery to the many hundreds whom it had made homeless
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
a medication that promises to provide greater relief to those living in chronic misery because of arthritis
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misery
The film follows his lead, constructing a near-relentless study of misery that culminates in a disturbing finale.
—
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Enter Claude Whelan, played by James Callis, a fine actor with a face that can contort itself into about a dozen different versions of misery and pathetic dismay.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Cast adrift in a frosty wilderness—a harrowing yet welcome departure, visually, from the Gothic shadows of Victor’s lair—the Creature experiences a dollop of decency, courtesy of a blind old farmer (a wonderful David Bradley), but also a deluge of misery, courtesy of everyone else.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Fortune coverage of Gen Z’s misery paints a stark picture.
—Stephanie Silverman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misery
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Enter Claude Whelan, played by James Callis, a fine actor with a face that can contort itself into about a dozen different versions of misery and pathetic dismay.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Cast adrift in a frosty wilderness—a harrowing yet welcome departure, visually, from the Gothic shadows of Victor’s lair—the Creature experiences a dollop of decency, courtesy of a blind old farmer (a wonderful David Bradley), but also a deluge of misery, courtesy of everyone else.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Fortune coverage of Gen Z’s misery paints a stark picture.
—Stephanie Silverman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misery
Noun
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The dramatic arc of the film’s first half — filled with the ecstasy of God’s embrace and the agony of imprisonment — is told through musical numbers, adapted from the Shakers’ ecstatic worship, dance, hymns, and music (watch the video above to learn more).—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
7 Jan. 2026
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One year before Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire published their compendium of Greek myths, Cicellis released her second work of fiction, The Way to Colonos, which ruthlessly dramatizes the limits of individual freedom and the agony of facing one’s powerlessness.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The plaintiff seeks damages for privacy invasion, emotional distress, reputational harm and alleged placement on government watch lists.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
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The initial wave of relief soon lifted, giving way to distress when Franco learned his home was uninhabitable.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Fallibility is written into our genetic code, and refereeing is basically a nightmare now for everyone involved.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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But more than just a topical procedural thriller, the film also plays out like a Kafka novel about endless invasions of privacy and assumptions of malicious intent that converge to form a modern nightmare.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said after the match that the Argentina international had asked to be substituted due to his pain.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The red sole is a visible pain endured for the privilege of being seen enduring it.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This is likewise the thrust of Salò, based on the Marquis de Sade’s The 120 Days of Sodom, an orgiastic, disturbing carnival of torture, rape, and killing, reset by Pasolini in the town from which fascism reigned in the 1940s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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Marcano Tábata is widely identified by human rights groups as part of the command structure overseeing detention centers where political prisoners have been held, including facilities accused of systematic abuse and torture.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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No adolescent defiance or child’s anguish was visible on his face now.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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Some critics called for more editorial discipline in the film, or found Lawrence’s onscreen spin cycle of anguish, which involves literally clawing her way up walls or flinging herself through glass doors, to be repetitive.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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To our minds, Wednesday's horror, those kids who lost a mother, should supplant the inevitable circling of the ideological wagons and the parsing of the different angles of pictures taken at the scene.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
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But the harder the novice looks — and the greater the chaos inside them longing for order, even of a diabolical nature — the more clearly the horror will appear.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Broadway production capitalizes on discomfort, keeping tension taut and surprises around every corner.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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In certain situations, drinking lemon water may cause discomfort or may not be recommended.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misery. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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