miserable
[ miz-er-uh-buhl, miz-ruh- ]
/ ˈmɪz ər ə bəl, ˈmɪz rə- /
adjective
wretchedly unhappy, uneasy, or uncomfortable: miserable victims of war.
wretchedly poor; needy.
of wretched character or quality; contemptible: a miserable villain.
attended with or causing misery: a miserable existence.
manifesting misery.
worthy of pity; deplorable: a miserable failure.
Origin of miserable
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin
miserābilis, equivalent to
miserā(rī) to pity (derivative of
miser wretched) +
-bilis
-ble
SYNONYMS FOR miserable
2 destitute.
3 despicable, mean, low, abject.
6 pitiable, lamentable.
OTHER WORDS FROM miserable
mis·er·a·ble·ness, noun mis·er·a·bly, adverb qua·si-mis·er·a·ble, adjective qua·si-mis·er·a·bly, adverbWords nearby miserable
misenus,
miser,
miser, the,
miserabilism,
miserabilist,
miserable,
miserere,
misericord,
miserly,
misery,
misery index
Example sentences from the Web for miserable
British Dictionary definitions for miserable
miserable
/ (ˈmɪzərəbəl, ˈmɪzrə-) /
adjective
unhappy or depressed; wretched
causing misery, discomfort, etc
a miserable life
contemptible
a miserable villain
sordid or squalid
miserable living conditions
Scot, Australian and NZ
mean; stingy
(pejorative intensifier)
you miserable wretch
Derived forms of miserable
miserableness, noun miserably, adverbWord Origin for miserable
C16: from Old French, from Latin
miserābilis worthy of pity, from
miserārī to pity, from
miser wretched