miserable
Miserable means feeling very unhappy or having a very unpleasant life.
Explanation at your level:
You are miserable when you are very sad. If you are sick or it is raining, you might feel miserable. It is a big word for feeling bad.
When you feel miserable, you are very unhappy. It can also describe a place. For example, a cold room can be a miserable place to sleep.
The word miserable is used to describe strong feelings of unhappiness or uncomfortable situations. It is common to hear 'miserable weather' or 'a miserable person' in everyday English.
Using miserable adds emotional intensity to your speech. It is often used to describe circumstances that are bleak or oppressive, such as 'miserable working conditions' or 'a miserable failure.'
In advanced English, miserable can imply a sense of wretchedness or moral decay. It is frequently used in literature to depict characters who are trapped in unfortunate life circumstances or deep psychological despair.
At the C2 level, miserable is understood through its etymological roots in 'misery.' It conveys a state of profound, often chronic, unhappiness. It is used in sophisticated contexts to describe environments that are inherently depressing or to characterize a person's disposition as persistently gloomy.
Palabra en 30 segundos
- Miserable means very unhappy.
- It describes people, places, or situations.
- It is a strong adjective.
- Commonly used with weather and life.
When we say someone is miserable, we aren't just talking about a bad mood. It describes a deep sense of unhappiness or physical discomfort. Think of a rainy, grey day where you feel stuck inside—that is a miserable day.
You can also use this word to describe a person's personality if they are constantly complaining or acting grumpy. It is a powerful word that carries a lot of emotional weight, so use it when you really mean that things are quite bad.
The word miserable comes from the Latin word miser, which literally means 'wretched' or 'unhappy.' It entered Middle English through Old French in the 15th century.
Historically, it was often used to describe people living in poverty or those suffering from extreme misfortune. Over time, the meaning expanded to include not just physical poverty, but also the emotional state of feeling deeply sad or the quality of a place being gloomy and depressing.
You will often hear this word paired with nouns like life or weather. For example, 'a miserable existence' or 'miserable weather' are very common phrases.
In formal writing, it describes conditions like 'miserable living standards,' while in casual conversation, you might say, 'I feel miserable today.' It is a versatile word that works well in both professional reports and casual chats with friends.
1. Make someone's life miserable: To constantly annoy or cause trouble for someone. 2. A miserable failure: A situation that goes completely wrong. 3. Misery loves company: An unhappy person wants others to be unhappy too. 4. Put out of one's misery: To end a painful situation. 5. Miserable as sin: An old-fashioned way to say someone is extremely unhappy.
Miserable is an adjective. It does not have a plural form. In British English, the IPA is /ˈmɪz.rə.bəl/, while in American English, it is often pronounced /ˈmɪz.ər.ə.bəl/.
The stress is on the first syllable. It rhymes with words like considerable (in some dialects) and deliverable. Remember that it is a gradable adjective, so you can say 'very miserable' or 'quite miserable.'
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'miser', someone who is miserable because they hoard money.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'miz-ruh-bull'
Sounds like 'miz-er-uh-bull'
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'a' too clearly
- Ignoring the schwa sound
- Misplacing the stress
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to use
Common in speech
Common in media
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanzado
Grammar to Know
Adjective usage
He is miserable.
Adverb formation
He acted miserably.
Linking verbs
He feels miserable.
Examples by Level
I am miserable.
I feel very sad.
Subject + verb + adjective.
The weather is miserable today.
He felt miserable after the test.
It was a miserable morning.
She had a miserable time.
Don't be so miserable!
The house was cold and miserable.
I hate this miserable job.
They lived a miserable life.
The team had a miserable start to the season.
I felt miserable with the flu.
The conditions in the camp were miserable.
It is miserable to be stuck in traffic.
She gave me a miserable look.
The movie had a miserable ending.
He is a miserable old man.
What a miserable excuse for a meal.
The workers endured miserable conditions for years.
His failure left him feeling completely miserable.
The rainy season makes everyone feel miserable.
She was miserable in her new city.
The poverty in the area was truly miserable.
It was a miserable attempt at an apology.
They spent a miserable night in the tent.
The company's performance was a miserable failure.
The protagonist lived a miserable, solitary existence.
The landscape was bleak and utterly miserable.
She felt a profound sense of miserable isolation.
The report highlighted the miserable state of the economy.
His attitude made the entire office atmosphere miserable.
They faced a miserable winter with no heat.
The play was a miserable reflection of human greed.
It was a miserable display of incompetence.
The novel captures the miserable essence of Victorian poverty.
She was trapped in a miserable cycle of debt and despair.
The political climate created a miserable sense of hopelessness.
His life was a testament to a miserable, unfulfilled ambition.
The architecture was designed to be imposing and miserable.
They were subjected to the most miserable living conditions imaginable.
The philosophical outlook was inherently miserable.
It was a miserable irony that he failed at the very end.
Colocaciones comunes
Idioms & Expressions
"misery loves company"
unhappy people like to be with others
He's complaining to everyone; misery loves company.
casual"put someone out of their misery"
to end someone's suffering
I finally told him the truth to put him out of his misery.
casual"make life miserable"
to cause someone constant trouble
The bully tried to make my life miserable.
casual"miserable as sin"
extremely unhappy
He's been miserable as sin all week.
literary"a miserable wretch"
a very unhappy person
He felt like a miserable wretch.
literary"miserable excuse"
something that is very poor quality
That was a miserable excuse for a sandwich.
casualEasily Confused
Both describe a negative state.
Mean is about behavior, miserable is about feelings.
He is mean to me; I feel miserable.
Both mean unhappy.
Miserable is much stronger.
I am sad; I am miserable.
Both describe unhappiness.
Depressed is often clinical.
He is depressed; he is miserable.
Both relate to darkness/sadness.
Gloomy describes atmosphere.
The room is gloomy; I am miserable.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + is + miserable
He is miserable.
Subject + had + a + miserable + time
I had a miserable time.
It + is + miserable + weather
It is miserable weather.
Subject + made + someone + miserable
She made him miserable.
Subject + is + utterly + miserable
He is utterly miserable.
Familia de palabras
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Relacionado
How to Use It
7/10
Formality Scale
Errores comunes
Miserable refers to feelings, not skill level.
A miserable person is sad, not necessarily unkind.
Using a stronger adverb sounds more natural.
Miserable is usually for people or situations.
Remember the 'a' before the 'ble'.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a 'miser' who is 'able' to be happy but chooses not to be.
When Native Speakers Use It
They use it to complain about the weather.
Cultural Insight
British people often use it to describe a grey day.
Grammar Shortcut
Use it as an adjective before a noun or after a linking verb.
Say It Right
Don't emphasize the 'er' too much.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't say 'miserablely', use 'miserably'.
Did You Know?
It comes from the same root as 'misery'.
Study Smart
Group it with 'misery' and 'miserably'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Miserable = Miser + able (a miser is never able to be happy).
Visual Association
A grey, rainy day with a sad face drawn on the window.
Word Web
Desafío
Describe your day using 'miserable' and then find an antonym for it.
Origen de la palabra
Latin
Original meaning: wretched, pitiful
Contexto cultural
Can be offensive if used to describe someone's mental health condition dismissively.
Commonly used in British English to describe weather.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Weather
- miserable day
- miserable weather
- miserable rain
Work
- miserable conditions
- miserable job
- miserable pay
Personal feelings
- feel miserable
- look miserable
- act miserable
Situations
- miserable failure
- miserable experience
- miserable situation
Conversation Starters
"What is the most miserable weather you have ever experienced?"
"Have you ever had a miserable day at work or school?"
"What do you do when you feel miserable?"
"Do you think misery loves company?"
"Can a miserable person change their attitude?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you felt completely miserable.
What makes a place feel miserable to you?
Write about a character who is miserable and why.
How can someone overcome a miserable situation?
Preguntas frecuentes
8 preguntasMiserable is a much stronger version of sad.
Usually for situations or places, not small objects.
Yes, it can be seen as an insult.
Yes, the noun is 'misery'.
Yes, it is very common for bad weather.
It is used in all registers.
Miserably.
Yes, to describe a sad or bad movie.
Ponte a prueba
I feel very ___ because it is raining.
Miserable describes feeling sad.
Which sentence is correct?
Miserable is an adjective.
Miserable can describe a person who is very happy.
Miserable means the opposite of happy.
Word
Significado
Matching words with their meanings.
The project was a miserable failure.
Puntuación: /5
Summary
Miserable is a powerful word to describe deep unhappiness or a bleak, unpleasant situation.
- Miserable means very unhappy.
- It describes people, places, or situations.
- It is a strong adjective.
- Commonly used with weather and life.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a 'miser' who is 'able' to be happy but chooses not to be.
When Native Speakers Use It
They use it to complain about the weather.
Cultural Insight
British people often use it to describe a grey day.
Grammar Shortcut
Use it as an adjective before a noun or after a linking verb.
Ejemplo
The rainy weather makes me feel miserable.
Related Content
Esta palabra en otros idiomas
Más palabras de Emotions
ashamed
A1To feel very bad or embarrassed because you have done something wrong, silly, or not good enough. It is the feeling of guilt or low self-esteem that comes after a mistake.
cheerful
A1Alguien alegre es alguien que siempre parece feliz y optimista. También puedes decir que un lugar es alegre si es luminoso y agradable.
uncomfortable
A1Describes a physical feeling of slight pain or a mental feeling of being worried or shy. It is often used for things that are not soft or for situations that make you feel awkward.
desperate
B2Sentirse sin esperanza ante una situación difícil o tener una necesidad extrema de conseguir algo. Es un estado de angustia profunda.
unfortdom
C1Describing a state or condition characterized by an overwhelming and seemingly inescapable lack of luck or resilience. It is used to qualify situations or individuals trapped in a persistent cycle of misfortune or systemic disadvantage.
stirring
B1Algo que causa emociones fuertes como entusiasmo o admiración. También el inicio de un sentimiento o movimiento.
furious
A1Estar furioso es estar extremadamente enfadado. Es un nivel de enfado muy alto.
broody
B2Describes someone who is deep in thought, often in a moody or melancholic way. It is also commonly used to describe someone who feels a strong, instinctive desire to have a baby or is acting in a maternal/paternal way.
cherish
A1Apreciar (cherish) algo significa quererlo mucho y querer protegerlo. Guardas un recuerdo o sentimiento feliz en tu corazón.
tender
A1Es un sentimiento tierno cuando tratas a alguien con mucho cariño y amabilidad. Demuestra afecto y cuidado.
