miserable
Americanadjective
-
wretchedly unhappy, uneasy, or uncomfortable.
miserable victims of war.
- Synonyms:
- distressed , doleful , disconsolate , forlorn
- Antonyms:
- happy
-
wretchedly poor; needy.
- Synonyms:
- destitute
- Antonyms:
- wealthy
-
of wretched character or quality; contemptible.
a miserable villain.
- Synonyms:
- abject , low , mean , despicable
- Antonyms:
- good
-
attended with or causing misery.
a miserable existence.
-
manifesting misery.
-
worthy of pity; deplorable.
a miserable failure.
- Synonyms:
- lamentable , pitiable
adjective
-
unhappy or depressed; wretched
-
causing misery, discomfort, etc
a miserable life
-
contemptible
a miserable villain
-
sordid or squalid
miserable living conditions
-
mean; stingy
-
(pejorative intensifier)
you miserable wretch
Related Words
See wretched.
Other Word Forms
- miserableness noun
- miserably adverb
- quasi-miserable adjective
- quasi-miserably adverb
Etymology
Origin of miserable
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin miserābilis, equivalent to miserā(rī) “to pity” (derivative of miser “wretched”) + -bilis -ble
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fay Siu, who leads the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, offered emotional support to families at the mortuary, where she said the atmosphere was "miserable and bleak".
From Barron's
Suddenly all the miserable dates and failed relationships felt worth it because they led me to him.
From Los Angeles Times
He looked utterly miserable, sitting there like a man with a contagious disease.
From BBC
After a first innings duck Joe Root was desperate for runs, but he was no match for the relentless Starc, dragging a thick edge onto his stumps to cap a miserable start to the series.
From Barron's
Pretty much any sport can be fun, except golf, which was created in a rogue lab to make human beings miserable, especially me.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
