Misery: meaning, definitions and examples

Misery is generally used to describe a state of great unhappiness or emotional suffering over a longer period.

• She lived in misery after the loss of her beloved pet.
• The misery of war affected the entire nation.

Distress can refer to both physical and emotional suffering, often caused by a particular situation or event.

• The child was in distress after getting lost in the mall.
• Financial distress is a common issue for many families.

Suffering is a broad term that encompasses prolonged physical or emotional discomfort. It's often used to describe long-term hardship.

• He experienced a lot of suffering during his illness.
• The refugees are suffering due to lack of food and water.

Anguish is intense pain or suffering, often of an emotional or mental nature and typically more severe than distress.

• Her face was etched with anguish after hearing the tragic news.
• He felt deep anguish over the breakup.

Pain is a general term that can describe both physical and emotional discomfort or suffering.

• She felt a sharp pain in her side.
• The pain of losing a loved one never truly goes away.

Agony refers to intense physical or mental pain, often over a shorter duration but can be very severe.

• He was in agony after breaking his leg.
• Waiting for the test results was pure agony.

Misery is best used to describe a prolonged state of great unhappiness or discomfort.

• After the loss of his job, John fell into deep misery.
• The entire country was plunged into misery after the natural disaster.

Suffering denotes the experience of physical or mental pain.

• The injured animals were in great suffering.
• He dedicated his life to alleviating the suffering of others.

Hardship describes severe suffering or deprivation, often related to financial, social, or physical difficulties.

• They faced great hardship during the war.
• The economic crisis brought sudden hardship to many families.

Adversity refers to a difficult or unpleasant situation, often involving challenge or misfortune.

• She found strength in the face of adversity.
• Overcoming adversity made him stronger.

Tribulation is often used in a more formal or literary context to describe severe trials or struggles.

• They remained hopeful despite their tribulations.
• The novel chronicles the tribulations of the main character.

Woe indicates great sorrow or distress and is often used in a storytelling or poetic context.

• The tale is full of woe and heartache.
• She recounted her woes to anyone who would listen.