English Explanatory Dictionary

misery

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Great unhappiness; extreme pain of body or mind; wretchedness; distress; woe.
  2. A bodily ache or pain.
  3. Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune.
  4. poverty.
  5. greed; avarice.
name
  1. Derogatory name for Missouri: a state of the United States.

Pronunciation

/ˈmɪz(ə)ɹɪ/ mĭzʹə-rē mĭzʹrē /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹi/ en-us-misery.ogg

Word forms

misery miseries

Etymology

From Middle English miserie, from Old French miserie (modern: misère), from Latin miseria, from miser, equivalent to miser + -y. Doublet of misère and mizeria.

Synonyms

dejection grief sorrow blueness tristesse mirthless blues crestfallenness depression despondency distress dolefulness downheartedness drearihead forlornness heartsore ill-being infelicity melancholia melancholy misery mishappiness mourn prosternation regret rue ruth sadness sorrowfulness tristfulness undelight unhappiness woe woefare wretchedness pain wark adversity affliction aggrievance grievance hardship vexation wrong beggary brokeness destitution impecuniosity impecuniousness indigence mendicancy mendicity neediness pauperism penury poverty privation reduced circumstances straitened circumstances avarice

Related words

commiserate miser miserable

Derived words

Fat Man's Misery long streak of misery Misery misery enjoys company misery guts miseryguts misery index misery lit misery loves company misery porn misery whip mountain misery put someone out of their misery
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