Word
miserable
Phoneticsmis·er·able
US/ˈmɪzɝəbəɫ/
UK/mˈɪzɹəbəl/
Definitions
01very unhappy
B1 · Intermediate
adj. feeling very sad, uncomfortable, or unhappy.
adj. experiencing great distress, discomfort, or unhappiness.
“He felt miserable after losing his job and stayed in bed all day.”
“The refugees were living in miserable conditions, lacking basic access to clean water or adequate medical facilities.”
02bad weather
B1 · Intermediate
adj. unpleasant weather that is usually cold, grey, and rainy.
adj. of weather conditions: extremely unpleasant, typically characterized by cold, dampness, and lack of sunlight.
“It was a miserable afternoon with constant rain and a cold wind.”
“The hike was cancelled due to the miserable weather, as the thick fog made the mountain trails far too dangerous for the group.”
03poor quality
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very bad, small, or disappointing in amount or quality.
adj. contemptibly small, inadequate, or of very poor quality.
“The hotel offered a miserable breakfast of just one piece of dry toast.”
“The company offered a miserable pay increase that failed to even match the current rate of inflation.”
04unpleasant person
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. always complaining or being unfriendly to others.
adj. characterised by a habitually sullen, grumpy, or complaining temperament.
“Don't be so miserable; try to enjoy the party for once.”
“He has become a miserable old man who spends his afternoons shouting at the neighbourhood children for playing near his fence.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “miserable” in context.
Verb
01. feel miserable
“I felt miserable for days after I failed my driving test.”
verb + adj
02. look miserable
“You look miserable standing there in the rain; why don't you come inside?”
verb + adj
03. make life miserable
“The constant noise from the construction site next door is making my life miserable.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
04. miserable conditions
“The refugees were living in miserable conditions with very little food or water.”
adj + noun
05. miserable failure
“The new product launch was a miserable failure and cost the company millions.”
adj + noun
06. miserable weather
“We had to cancel the picnic because of the miserable weather.”
adj + noun
Adverb
07. thoroughly miserable
“The cold wind and heavy rain made us all feel thoroughly miserable.”
adv + adj
08. utterly miserable
“She was utterly miserable after her best friend moved to another country.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“During miserable heat waves, people tend to stay inside if it's cooler there, limiting social connection.” “The youths “looked so miserable, and their clothes hung about their frames,” she later recalled.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French miserable, from Old French, from Latin miserabilis, equivalent to miser + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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