ˈmi-zər-bəl
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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of miserable
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 1 Feb. 2025
After a miserable year for the run defense, Morgan is hoping to give the trenches a facelift in free agency and the draft.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2025
Continued his everyday process like nothing was wrong, would come home and be miserable.
—Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 22 Jan. 2025
Greif: When Houston faces Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, can its defense make life miserable for yet another top quarterback?
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for miserable 
Adjective
Florida currently ranks third nationally in opponent effective field-goal percentage (43%), making life miserable for opposing offenses.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 1 Feb. 2025
After a miserable year for the run defense, Morgan is hoping to give the trenches a facelift in free agency and the draft.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2025
Continued his everyday process like nothing was wrong, would come home and be miserable.
—Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 22 Jan. 2025
Greif: When Houston faces Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, can its defense make life miserable for yet another top quarterback?
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for miserable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserable
Adjective
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But bleak and uncertain as things seem right now, Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred does not want to lose Tampa Bay, the No. 11 media market, which is why the hope is for a deep pocket owner (or owners) from Tampa to emerge and the Tampa stadium plan near Ybor City can be revived.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2025
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Suicide is pretty bleak for a Super Bowl spot, and mental health, in general, is a sensitive topic.—
Matthew Pittman,
The Conversation,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Laviolette puts lines in a blender Clearly unhappy with his team’s effort against Pittsburgh on Friday, Laviolette made drastic changes to his lineup.—
Peter Baugh,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
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The indie drama follows Diana (Rodriguez), an unhappy teenager who begins training at a boxing gym as a release for her frustrations, only to discover she's got a talent for the sport.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There have been plenty of terrible Oscar hosts over the years but this was a car crash that could easily have been avoided.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
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Secrets bob to the surface like drowning victims from the deep until nobody — not even the reader — can easily separate the terrible truth from even more terrible fictions.—
M.L. Rio,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The hotel is founded and managed by locals, who transformed a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast into a six-acre luxury hotel in 2001.—
Maya Kachroo-Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2025
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They were forced to live in dilapidated buildings with mold, sewage, and rodent issues, and were confined to their rooms for weeks on end.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Without education, students with disabilities face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, poor health, and social isolation.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
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Cosgrove, a rookie revelation in 2023, is looking to bounce back after a poor 2024 season.—
Dennis Lin,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In a bravura theatrical performance, Hawke makes the genius truly pathetic.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
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Blonsky imbues the lead character of Tracy Turnblad, who could be a pathetic figure in lesser hands, with enough vitality to make the whole film feel fresh, even close to two decades after its release.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Frasers find out that Jane has been buried in an unmarked grave in a pauper’s field, news that devastates Frances.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
17 Jan. 2025
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He was made to leave a pauper after years of hard work.—
Kanak Kapur,
The New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But for people who are older and severely lonely, having an appointment to see their doctor might be their only social interaction that day.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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In a recent Harvard University study, every fifth American reported feeling lonely, and that number is even higher among young adults and seniors.—
John Hewko,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserable. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
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