First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
miserable
adjective mis·er·a·ble \ˈmi-zər-bəl, ˈmiz-rə-, ˈmi-zə-rə-\
: very unhappy
: very sick or unwell
: very severe or unpleasant
Full Definition of MISERABLE
1
: being in a pitiable state of distress or unhappiness (as from want or shame) <miserable refugees>
2
a : wretchedly inadequate or meager <a miserable hovel> b : causing extreme discomfort or unhappiness <a miserable situation>
3
: being likely to discredit or shame <his miserable neglect of his wife>
— miserable noun
— mis·er·a·ble·ness noun
— mis·er·a·bly \-blē\ adverb
See miserable defined for English-language learners
See miserable defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of MISERABLE
Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin miserabilis wretched, pitiable, from miserari to pity, from miser
Related to MISERABLE
- Synonyms
- black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, depressive, desolate, dire, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, dreich [chiefly Scottish], elegiac (also elegiacal), forlorn, funereal, glum, godforsaken, gray (also grey), lonely, lonesome, lugubrious, gloomy, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian, saturnine, sepulchral, solemn, somber (or sombre), sullen, sunless, tenebrific, tenebrous, wretched
MISERABLE Defined for Kids
miserable
adjective mis·er·a·ble \ˈmi-zə-rə-bəl, ˈmi-zər-bəl\
Definition of MISERABLE for Kids
1
: very unhappy or distressed <The stranded passengers were miserable.>
2
: causing great discomfort <a miserable cold>
3
: very unsatisfactory <miserable weather>
— mis·er·a·bly \-blē\ adverb <We failed miserably.>
Learn More About MISERABLE
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up miserable? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).