What does misery mean?
Misery is a noun meaning intense unhappiness, anguish, or prolonged suffering. It can describe a person's emotional state, as in a period of misery, or a difficult condition such as poverty, illness, or hardship. The word is stronger and more solemn than sadness: sadness may be temporary, while misery often suggests a sustained or overwhelming experience. In literary and historical contexts, misery can also refer to a person who is intensely unhappy or dissatisfied, usually with the expression "a misery." Its associations with hardship and despair make it useful when describing serious suffering, though its dramatic tone can sound overly emphatic in casual conversation. Related words include miserable, which describes someone experiencing misery, and miserliness, which means habitual greed rather than unhappiness.
Great unhappiness, distress, or suffering, especially when it is prolonged or severe.
"He found unexpected consolation in the midst of his misery."
More formal and intense than sadness; commonly used in literary, historical, or descriptions of severe hardship.
A condition or situation that causes great suffering or difficulty.
"The drought brought misery to thousands of families."
Often used with phrases such as absolute misery or a life of misery to emphasize the severity of a condition.
A person who is intensely unhappy or dissatisfied.
"He was a misery at the party, complaining about everything."
This sense is less common in modern English and is chiefly literary or informal.
The plural is used for individual instances of suffering or hardship.
"They spoke of the miseries they had endured during the war."
The saying "misery loves company" captures a paradox: loneliness can feel unbearable, yet human beings often seek one another's sympathy in their darkest moments.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misery come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Old French miserie, which was derived from Latin miseria, meaning wretchedness or unhappiness. Latin miseria was connected with miser, an adjective describing someone wretched, unfortunate, or unhappy. The modern form developed in English during the Middle English period, with the sense expanding from a state of suffering to the broader meaning of extreme distress.
Related word forms
How misery is actually used
Generally formal or literary in tone, though it is also common in ordinary speech. It conveys more than ordinary sadness and often suggests prolonged suffering, severe deprivation, or profound emotional distress.