Synonym Chooser

How does the noun misery differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of misery are agony, distress, and suffering. While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

the homeless live with misery every day

When could agony be used to replace misery?

The synonyms agony and misery are sometimes interchangeable, but agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

When is it sensible to use distress instead of misery?

The meanings of distress and misery largely overlap; however, distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

When is suffering a more appropriate choice than misery?

The words suffering and misery are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

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 misery Long-distance hiking is, to some extent, enduring misery; having some company with whom to share that misery is a cliché for a reason. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside, 2 Sep. 2025 Happiness followed by anger, misery, frustration, followed by happiness again. John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 For the next few hours, Beau stayed in the hallway, wallowing in misery and looking outside the window, hoping to see his partner. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025 All around him, there is misery and hoarded wealth, work and little love. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misery
Noun
  • Hank, having already experienced life-changing failure, is also able to absorb beatings that would destroy most people, endure the agony, and leap back into action.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The buddy story ended in agony when it was revealed that Edwards was on the list and complicit in the ambush plot.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Eileen’s imminent arrival is made even more dramatic when a younger woman named Thea (Imogen Poots) turns up at Hedda’s door in a state of distress.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
  • However, without Chinese demand, this abundant supply threatens to further depress prices and worsen farmers’ financial distress.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Instead, the interview was a PR nightmare that forced Andrew to step back from his public royal duties.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Sep. 2025
  • At 6 feet and blessed with great athletic ability, Moore was a matchup nightmare.
    Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is little reason to assume that negotiations won’t continue after the court’s decision, because there are still myriad ways that the government can inflict pain on the university.
    Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The goal of treatment is to care for the small wound, manage any pain, and avoid potential infection.
    Carrie Madormo, Health, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Horrific wounds across the body detailed a map of torture.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Detainees have alleged torture and beatings inside CECOT since their release.
    Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Haley Robson described the anguish caused by ever-metastasizing Epstein conspiracy theories and endless Epstein news cycles, and her hope that releasing the files could finally put the case to bed.
    Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Above all, there’s Rob, whose romantic getaway has turned into a slog of romantic anguish.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Netflix struck gold with Wednesday, the supernatural horror-comedy centered on the sardonically morbid teenage daughter of the Addams Family.
    Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
  • But a heart-wrenching 2016 case report of a boy in Oregon detailed the horrors of what the disease can look like.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Seeing Laura’s discomfort with her, Cherry employs her feminine wiles to cause a fracture in Laura and Daniel’s connection.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
  • But in that discomfort lies the opportunity to grow.
    Linda-Marie Barrett September 10, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misery. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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