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, adverb

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, adverb

Word Origin for miserable

C16: from Old French, from Latin miserābilis worthy of pity, from miserārī to pity, from miser wretched