# misery

/ˈmɪzɝi/ (US) · /mˈɪzəɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/misery
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. great unhappiness

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of being very unhappy or suffering a lot.

For teachers: a state of profound mental or emotional distress; wretchedness.

- The long winter months brought nothing but misery to the isolated villagers.
- The refugees lived in a state of constant misery, haunted by the memories of the conflict they had left behind.

### 2. poverty and poor conditions

noun · CEFR B2

very poor living conditions where people do not have what they need.

For teachers: the state of living in extreme poverty or squalor.

- Thousands of people in the city are living in absolute misery without clean water.
- The documentary highlighted the systemic misery of the urban slums, where families struggle to survive on less than a dollar a day.

### 3. a physical ache

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect

a physical pain or ache in the body.

For teachers: a localized physical ache or chronic pain. This usage is largely restricted to specific regional dialects.

- The old man complained about a misery in his lower back whenever it rained.
- She described a constant misery in her joints that made even the simplest household tasks a burden.

Usage: Often used with the definite article 'a' followed by 'in'.

### 4. an unhappy person

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a person who is always complaining or never seems happy.

For teachers: a person who is habitually morose, pessimistic, or complaining. Primarily used in British English as a mild pejorative.

- Don't be such an old misery; come to the party and have some fun.
- He had a reputation for being a bit of a misery, rarely joining in the office celebrations or social events.

Teaching tip: Commonly used in the phrase 'an old misery' regardless of the person's actual age.

## Examples

- The cold weather caused the hikers great misery.
- The refugees lived in absolute misery while waiting for the border to open during the winter months.
- The novel explores the profound misery of the working class during the industrial revolution, focusing on the lack of sanitation and the grueling hours spent in the factories.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.