ˈmi-zər-bəl
1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
spent the night in a miserable jail cell
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
the awful news made us miserable
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3
as in terrible
of low quality
a miserable meal that I wouldn't feed to a dog
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4
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
a miserable little apartment
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5
as in poor
deserving of one's pity
miserable refugees from the war-torn country
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6
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
that ugly mutt is one miserable excuse for a dog
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of miserable
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Eight seasons, five Super Bowls and three championships (and counting) later, Mahomes views the most miserable game of his life as a pivot point.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
Defensively, UConn switched everything and created tough shots as Marquette went 8-for-25 from the field (32%) in the first half and a miserable 10-for-20 from the free throw line, making the Huskies’ 12 team fouls a non-issue.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 2 Feb. 2025
In addition to a generally miserable illness, measles can cause complications: 1 in 5 unvaccinated people with measles in the US end up hospitalized.
—Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for miserable
Adjective
Flu is currently sweeping through the United States, making many Americans miserable with sneezing, congestion, cough, body aches, and fever.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Eight seasons, five Super Bowls and three championships (and counting) later, Mahomes views the most miserable game of his life as a pivot point.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
Defensively, UConn switched everything and created tough shots as Marquette went 8-for-25 from the field (32%) in the first half and a miserable 10-for-20 from the free throw line, making the Huskies’ 12 team fouls a non-issue.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 2 Feb. 2025
In addition to a generally miserable illness, measles can cause complications: 1 in 5 unvaccinated people with measles in the US end up hospitalized.
—Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for miserable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserable
Adjective
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The picture looks bleak in the U.S. and in France the company is entering receivership.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2025
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The tiny graves at one end of the orphanage compound are a bleak reminder of what a future without USAID might look like for the children.—
Nicholas Komu,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Many previous Trump advisers, including Mr. Bolton, have tried to contain Mr. Trump, with unhappy results.—
Michael Crowley,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
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Among those unhappy with SDA were high-ranking officers in Space Force who believed it should be run by Space Systems Command, the main body within the service that develops satellites and other space systems, a former senior Air Force official told Forbes.—
Jeremy Bogaisky,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This is, on paper, a terrible idea for all involved.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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State of play: Cleveland is terrible at planting trees.—
Sam Allard,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The hotel is founded and managed by locals, who transformed a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast into a six-acre luxury hotel in 2001.—
Maya Kachroo-Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2025
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They were forced to live in dilapidated buildings with mold, sewage, and rodent issues, and were confined to their rooms for weeks on end.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Without education, students with disabilities face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, poor health, and social isolation.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
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This initiative helped avert potential global famines and boosted incomes for poor farmers, particularly in Asia.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In a bravura theatrical performance, Hawke makes the genius truly pathetic.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
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Blonsky imbues the lead character of Tracy Turnblad, who could be a pathetic figure in lesser hands, with enough vitality to make the whole film feel fresh, even close to two decades after its release.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Frasers find out that Jane has been buried in an unmarked grave in a pauper’s field, news that devastates Frances.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
17 Jan. 2025
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He was made to leave a pauper after years of hard work.—
Kanak Kapur,
The New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Bill’s smarm has calcified into a kind of mad obsession; Hal is a starkly lonely and cowardly man.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
22 Feb. 2025
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New research suggests people tend to be lonelier in young adulthood and late life.—
Christina Caron,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to miserable
Cite this Entry
“Miserable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserable. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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