misery
Pluralmiseries (some meanings)
- 1A feeling of great unhappiness or suffering in the body or mind.
Like a dark, heavy cloud that follows you and will not go away.
Years of poverty and illness filled her life with misery.
He could see the misery in their tired, hungry faces.
Similarunhappiness, sadness, sorrow, distress, grief
Oppositehappiness, joy, contentment, bliss
Note
- 2Something that causes great suffering or trouble.
Like a sudden storm that wrecks everything in its path.
The long drought was a real misery for the farmers.
Losing his job was just one more misery to bear that year.
Similarhardship, adversity, affliction, distress, misfortune
- 3Being extremely poor, without enough money for food, shelter, or basic needs.
Like being so poor that even buying food feels out of reach.
The family lived in misery, never sure where the next meal would come from.
Whole neighborhoods sank into misery after the factories closed.
Similarpoverty, destitution, neediness, penury, indigence
Oppositewealth, affluence, prosperity
Note
- 4
Less common meaning
- 5A strong, selfish wish to keep money and never share it.
Like someone who holds tight to every coin and never lets one go.
His misery kept him from giving even a penny to the poor.
The old landlord's misery grew worse with every coin he hoarded.
Similargreed, avarice, greediness, covetousness, cupidity
Note
Practice
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Origin
From Latin miseria, which comes from miser meaning "wretched." It came into English through Old French.