misery Definition
- 1a state of great unhappiness or discomfort
- 2a cause or source of great unhappiness
Using misery: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "misery" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The refugees were living in utter misery.
Example
She was overwhelmed by a sense of misery and despair.
Example
The company's financial misery continued for years.
Example
He caused nothing but misery for his family.
misery Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using misery
Example
For some people, paying taxes is a necessary evil.
something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in something good happening later
Example
Losing his job turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as he found a better one soon after.
a choice between two unpleasant options, where one is less bad than the other
Example
He had to choose between working overtime or losing his job, so he chose the lesser of two evils and worked extra hours.
Phrases with misery
Example
Her boss made her life a misery with constant criticism and unreasonable demands.
Example
The pandemic has taken misery to the door of many families who lost their loved ones.
Example
After her breakup, she spent weeks wallowing in misery and refused to leave her apartment.
Origins of misery
from Old French 'miserie', from Latin 'misera', meaning 'wretched, unhappy'
Summary: misery in Brief
The term 'misery' [ˈmɪzəri] refers to a state of great unhappiness or discomfort, often caused by external factors. It can also be used to describe the source of such unhappiness, as in 'The company's financial misery continued for years.' The phrase 'make someone's life a misery' denotes causing difficulty or unpleasantness, while 'wallow in misery' implies indulging in self-pity. Idioms like 'a necessary evil' and 'a blessing in disguise' offer alternative perspectives on difficult situations.