misery

noun

mis·​ery ˈmi-zə-rē 

ˈmiz-rē

plural miseries

1

: a state of suffering and want that is the result of poverty or affliction

War brought misery to thousands of refugees.

2

: a circumstance, thing, or place that causes suffering or discomfort

the joys and miseries of life

3

: a state of great unhappiness and emotional distress

My former boss made my life a misery.

We had to put the animal out of its misery. [=end the animal's suffering by killing it]

Synonyms of misery

• agony
• nightmare
• torture
• horror
• torment

Choose the Right Synonym for misery

distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble.

distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

some people live in misery every day

agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

Examples of misery in a Sentence

The war brought misery to thousands of refugees.

They were living in overcrowded slums in conditions of great misery.

a source of human misery

the joy and misery of life

The last years of her life were a misery.

Stop being such a misery.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Rays put the Red Sox out of their misery in two hours and 10 minutes. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026

After the series, James, who scored nearly 9 points per game below his regular-season average in those Finals, seemed to take solace in the misery of others. —Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 2026

Decades after Gaudí's own death, sculptor Josep Subirachs tempered the façade's misery with some playful elements. —ABC News, 9 June 2026

As ongoing wars continue to spread human misery, a Little Rock exhibition of World War II art by Thomas Hart Benton portrays warfare's violence and agony graphically. —Jack Schnedler, Arkansas Online, 8 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing misery

• misery guts
• misery index
• put (an animal) out of its misery

Kids Definition

misery

noun

mis·​ery ˈmiz-(ə-)rē 

plural miseries

1

: a state of great suffering and want due to poverty or misfortune

2

: a source of misery

3

: a state of unhappiness