Misery
'mɪzəri
Definitions
2 meaningsA state of suffering, pain, or unhappiness.
'mɪzəri
A state or feeling of great distress or discomfort.
The refugees endured years of misery.
💡 Simply: Misery is when you feel really, really sad or uncomfortable, like when you lose your favorite toy or have a bad day. Think of it as a deep feeling of unhappiness.
👶 For kids: Misery is when you feel very, very sad and unhappy.
More Examples
She lived in constant misery after the loss of her pet.
The poverty and hunger led to widespread misery.
He was trapped in a cycle of misery.
How It's Used
"The economic downturn brought widespread misery to the community."
"The novel depicted the protagonist's slow descent into misery."
Something causing suffering, pain or unhappiness; a source of distress.
'mɪzəri
A cause of suffering or unhappiness.
The long commute was a daily misery for him.
💡 Simply: Misery can also be something that's making you feel down. It's not just the feeling, but the thing that causes it. Maybe a rainy day is the misery that ruined your plans.
👶 For kids: Misery can be something that makes you sad or unhappy.
More Examples
The endless paperwork was a bureaucratic misery.
The broken washing machine was a domestic misery.
The lack of sleep was a source of great misery.
How It's Used
"The rain was a miserable cause of our picnic cancellation."
"Having a bad cold is quite a misery."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
in misery
Experiencing suffering or distress.
"She lay in misery, alone in her small apartment."
wallow in misery
To remain in a state of unhappiness or self-pity, enjoying the negative feelings.
"Instead of moving on, he continued to wallow in misery after the breakup."
From Middle English *miserie*, from Old French *miserie* (suffering, hardship), from Latin *miseria* (wretchedness, misery), from *miser* (wretched, unhappy).
The word 'misery' has been used in English for several centuries, evolving from a description of physical suffering to encompass emotional distress.
Memory tip
Imagine a miser hoarding all his wealth in a dark, desolate cave. The isolation and lack of joy reflect misery.
Word Origin
"wretched, unhappy"