misery

noun

ˈmi-zə-rē How to pronounce misery (audio)
Definition of miserynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Another finds his misery exacerbated by a Christmas spent shooting a war movie opposite its star Brad Pitt’s stand-in, in a rare evocation of how impersonal blockbuster filmmaking has become. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 But an agent may be harmed when its interests are thwarted, its autonomy denied or its existence ended without any pain or misery. — Andréa Morris, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Things get increasingly bleak, as the family dog’s heart medicine runs out and Jason has to put him out of his misery, and then — in doomsday prepper mode — carves up the body and puts it in the freezer just in case food gets dire. — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026 In the fairytale, the princess flees to another kingdom for a while to get away from the misery brought on by her father, finding work as a commoner to conceal her identity. — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for misery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misery
  1. agony
  2. distress
  3. nightmare
  4. pain
  5. torture
  6. anguish
  7. horror
  8. discomfort
Noun
  • Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The striking bronze sculpture depicts an outstretched arm reaching to the sky as hundreds of small human figures cling to it and each other with expressions of agony.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of agony
Noun
  • Its movements and squeaks change in response to the person interacting with it, giving caregivers another way to reduce distress and encourage engagement.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • He was found kneeling in front of a piano and striking the keys, in apparent distress.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of distress
Noun
  • An episode of septicemia, with its hells and paradises, its nightmares and hallucinations, transforms Borges into a story writer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Of all the nightmare scenarios running, none of them involved the concept of ‘rest defence’.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • California has taken pains to eliminate coal as a source of electricity, and this would be the first coal export terminal in California — or anywhere on the West Coast.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The world unjustly suppresses and gives pain to an individual.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pain
Noun
  • The lawsuit claims that Quero Silva, as the top military authority in Barquisimeto, a city in central-western Venezuela, oversaw their torture in the headquarters of the National Guard in the region.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • However, Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre were ultimately responsible for the torture and murder of Gabriel and were prosecuted for that, and they were convicted of that.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of torture
Noun
  • For Alex’s family, those seven months have done little to dull the anguish over what happened to him — or their determination to see the two officers who fired the shots held responsible.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Some say there is a fine line between anguish or sadness — and laughter.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • After a four-year absence from British television following a horror crash involving former host Andrew Flintoff, the BBC said that work is underway on a new season.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Paranormal Activity, the play, builds to the sort of slick and grisly finale that would be just right for the end of a cruel horror movie, but that lands awkwardly onstage.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of horror
Noun
  • Still in discomfort, Adames remained in the game until the bottom of the fifth after striking out in the top half.
    — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Runners, cyclists, gym-goers, tennis and pickleball players, and weekend walkers may experience leg fatigue or discomfort after physical activity.
    — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of discomfort

Browse Nearby Words

misers
misery
misesteem
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Cite this Entry

“Misery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misery. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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