Misery
/ˈmɪzəri/
nounB2
Definition
Misery is when a person feels deep unhappiness or pain, either physically or emotionally. It can describe feelings caused by sadness, illness, or difficult life situations. People in misery often want relief from their suffering.
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See It in Action
Extreme unhappiness or sadness
- •After losing his job, he lived in misery for many months.
- •The movie showed the misery of people living in war zones.
- •She felt misery when her best friend moved away.
Physical or mental suffering or pain
- •The patient was in great misery because of the illness.
- •Poverty can cause misery in many families.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "misery" like "sadness" (A1 word), but much stronger and longer-lasting, like a heavy cloud that stays for days
- ✓Picture a person sitting alone in a dark room, feeling cold and hopeless
- ✓It's the feeling when you lose something very important or when you are very sick and uncomfortable
- ✓Sounds like "MISS-uh-ree" → imagine missing (MISS) happy moments and feeling very low (like a sad song playing)
- ✓Think of the story of "The Miserable Mill" from children's books, where everything feels gloomy and hard
- ✓NOT like "sad" (short feeling), misery is deep and often lasts longer
- ✓NOT like "pain" only physical; misery can be emotional or mental suffering too
- ✓NOT like "unhappy" (general feeling), misery is extreme and can feel like suffering
Try Other Words
- •Suffering: physical or emotional pain (Use when focusing on pain or hardship)
- •Distress: extreme worry or pain (Use when emphasizing emotional trouble)
- •Unhappiness: general feeling of not being happy (Use in softer, less intense situations)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "mis-" (bad, wrong) + root related to "ser" (to be) in old languages, meaning bad state or condition
- •Etymology: From Latin "miseria," meaning wretchedness or unhappiness
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to describe deep sadness or suffering
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe strong emotional pain or hard life conditions
- •Interesting fact: The word "miserable" comes from the same root and means "full of misery"
Reflect & Connect
•Can misery sometimes help people understand happiness better? How?
•How do people show or hide their misery in different cultures or situations?
Fill in the blanks
1.People often feel misery when they lose someone ___ they love very much.
2.Misery can last a long time if the cause of ___ is not solved.
3.Unlike simple sadness, misery usually feels ___ and very hard to escape.
4.The story described the character's misery as a ___ that followed him everywhere.
5.Sometimes, people try to hide their misery by ___ happy faces.
6.Misery is often caused by ___ situations like illness or poverty.
7.When someone is in misery, they usually want ___ from their pain or sadness.