Definition of miserynext

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 This misery-making helped Hantz brute-force his way to two successive finales. Shaan Merchant, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026 This doesn’t bode well for the levels and frequency of conflict (and just general frustration and misery). Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026 The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 May 2026 There are fun bad teams, or teams that at least make a unique bonding experience out of their specific type of misery. Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for misery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misery
Noun
  • Tony was in agony and there was a lot of blood.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 28 May 2026
  • Jack Grealish had rolled on the floor in agony.
    Sam Lee, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Noun
  • Chaofeng Ge arrived in ICE custody last summer at a Pennsylvania facility run by the GEO Group in mental distress, having pleaded guilty to a minor gift card fraud and attempted suicide in state custody, said David Rankin, an attorney representing Ge's family.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 May 2026
  • The petition that initially accused Lopez of political bribery, intentional evasion of the insurance process, property damage and child endangerment was narrowed to negligence and emotional distress.
    Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Doue and Dembele also drop into midfield, while Kvaratskhelia is his usual destructive self off the left, rounding off a nightmare of rotations and raw running power that tempts defences out of their shape before smashing through.
    Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • The nightly variance in a league that shot 44 percent from the floor last season is a mathematical nightmare.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • After a few words of introduction, Alexis started asking Graciela and me questions about our creative processes, about the importance of surprises in art, about the relationship between photographs and stories, about memory and mourning and pain.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
  • Hip osteoarthritis, a common cause of hip pain, affects about one in four people under the age of 85.
    Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • Tens of thousands had been locked up and subjected to systematic torture and medical neglect.
    Amer Matar, The Dial, 26 May 2026
  • The detainees described experiencing abuse and torture by Israeli forces to the Associated Press.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 25 May 2026
Noun
  • The phrase, which was apparently started by Vegas assistant coach John Stevens, refers to the pain suffered by blocking a shot compared to the anguish felt when a puck sails by the defender and into the net.
    Jesse Granger, New York Times, 23 May 2026
  • Annah’s resulting anguish is so uncomfortable for the others, that Ibrahim and Jacques practically come to blows.
    Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • The critic drew a parallel to Passengers and The Stepford Wives in noting that the horror of Bear’s wish is ultimately a form of captivity that the film occasionally risks framing as a romance complication rather than a moral catastrophe.
    Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • The film, which screened at a number of global festivals, has been credited for opening the door for a new wave of Japanese ultra-violent horror and science-fiction cinema.
    Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 26 May 2026
Noun
  • The combined disgust, discomfort, ignorance, and fascination with our Indigeneity that unsettled my aunties and fascinated my cousins made more sense to me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
  • Jansen had previously experienced discomfort in his right groin after an April 15 outing against the Royals.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misery. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

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