Synonyms of 'miserable'
adjective
1 sadDictionary, down, low
If you are sad, you feel unhappy, usually because something has happened that you do not like.
She went to bed, miserable and depressed.
sad
If you are sad, you feel unhappy, usually because something has happened that you do not like.
The loss left me feeling sad and empty.
low
If you are low, you are depressed.
'I didn't ask for this job, you know,' he tells friends when he is low.
depressed
If you are depressed, you are sad and feel that you cannot enjoy anything, because your situation is so difficult and unpleasant.
He seemed somewhat depressed.
gloomy
If people are gloomy, they are unhappy and have no hope.
He is gloomy about the fate of the economy.
dismal
Something that is dismal is sad and depressing, especially in appearance.
You can't occupy yourself with dismal thoughts all the time.
afflicted
melancholy
You describe something that you see or hear as melancholy when it gives you an intense feeling of sadness.
It was at this time of day that he felt most melancholy.
heartbroken
Someone who is heartbroken is very sad and emotionally upset.
I was heartbroken when you left.
desolate
If someone is desolate, they feel very sad, alone, and without hope.
He was desolate without her.
forlorn
If someone is forlorn, they feel alone and unhappy.
He looked a forlorn figure as he limped off.
dejected
If you are dejected, you feel miserable or unhappy, especially because you have just been disappointed by something.
Everyone has days when they feel dejected or down.
broken-hearted
despondent
If you are despondent, you are very unhappy because you have been experiencing difficulties that you think you will not be able to overcome.
He often felt despondent after these meetings.
wretched
Someone who feels wretched feels very unhappy.
The wretched look on the little girl's face melted his heart.
crestfallen
If you look crestfallen, you look sad and disappointed about something.
He looked crestfallen when she turned him down.
doleful
A doleful expression, manner, or voice is depressing and miserable.
He stared over his glasses with a doleful look.
down in the dumps (informal)
down in the mouth (informal)
Opposites
bleak
If a situation is bleak, it is bad, and seems unlikely to improve.
The immediate outlook remains bleak.
depressing
Something that is depressing makes you feel sad and disappointed.
the depressing thought of his mother's death
unhappy
If you are unhappy, you are sad and depressed.
Her marriage is in trouble and she is desperately unhappy.
seedy
If you describe a person or place as seedy, you disapprove of them because they look dirty and untidy, or they have a bad reputation.
a seedy hotel close to the red light district
sordid
If you describe a place as sordid, you mean that it is dirty, unpleasant, or depressing.
the attic windows of their sordid little rooms
squalid
A squalid place is dirty, untidy, and in bad condition.
The migrants have been living in squalid conditions.
wretched
If you describe something as wretched, you are emphasizing that it is very bad or of very poor quality.
What a wretched excuse!
cheerless
Cheerless places or weather are dull and depressing.
The kitchen was a dank and cheerless room.
godforsaken
If you say that somewhere is a godforsaken place, you dislike it a lot because you find it very boring and depressing.
I don't want to stay in this God-forsaken country.
scungy
miserable; sordid; dirty
(Australian , New Zealand) He was living in some scungy flat on the outskirts of town.
rotten
If you describe someone as rotten, you are insulting them or criticizing them because you think that they are very unpleasant or unkind.
(informal) You rotten swine!
dreich (Scottish)
4 sullenDictionary, sour, moody
Someone who is sullen is bad-tempered and does not speak much.
He always was a miserable man. He never spoke to anyone.
sullen
Someone who is sullen is bad-tempered and does not speak much.
The offenders lapsed into a sullen silence.
grumpy
If you say that someone is grumpy, you mean that they are bad-tempered and miserable.
I know people think I'm a grumpy old man.
bad-tempered
Someone who is bad-tempered is not very cheerful and gets angry easily.
a crusty, bad-tempered, ill-humoured old gentleman
glum
Someone who is glum is sad and quiet because they are disappointed or unhappy about something.
What are you both looking so glum about?
surly
Someone who is surly behaves in a rude bad-tempered way.
He behaves in a surly and rude manner towards me.
ill-tempered
If you describe someone as ill-tempered, you mean they are angry or hostile, and you may be implying that this is unreasonable.
He sounded like an ill-tempered child.
lugubrious
If you say that someone or something is lugubrious, you mean that they are sad rather than lively or cheerful.
He plays it so slowly that it becomes lugubrious.
cantankerous
Someone who is cantankerous is always finding things to argue or complain about.
You're just a cantankerous old man.
grouchy
If someone is grouchy, they are very bad-tempered and complain a lot.
Grandfather is a grouchy old so-and-so.
saturnine
Someone who is saturnine is serious and unfriendly.
He is a saturnine man who speaks with precision and pedantic care.
5 patheticDictionary, low, sorry
They have so far accepted a miserable 1,100 refugees from the former Yugoslavia.
disgraceful
If you say that something such as behaviour or a situation is disgraceful, you disapprove of it strongly, and feel that the person or people responsible should be ashamed of it.
I complained about his disgraceful behaviour.
shabby
If you describe someone's behaviour as shabby, you think they behave in an unfair or unacceptable way.
It was hard to know why the man deserved such shabby treatment.
abject
You use abject to emphasize that a situation or quality is extremely bad.
Both of them died in abject poverty.
despicable
If you say that a person or action is despicable, you are emphasizing that they are extremely nasty, cruel, or evil.
He said it was a despicable crime.
deplorable
If you say that something is deplorable, you think that it is very bad and unacceptable.
Many of them work under deplorable conditions.
contemptible
If you feel that someone or something is contemptible, you feel strong dislike and disrespect for them.
Her husband is a contemptible little man.
scurvy
Scurvy is a disease that is caused by a lack of vitamin C.
(old-fashioned) It was a scurvy trick to play.
pitiable
Someone who is pitiable is in such a sad or weak state that you feel pity for them.
Her grandmother seemed to her a pitiable figure.
piteous
Something that is piteous is so sad that you feel great pity for the person involved.
a piteous sight
Opposites
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Additional synonyms
abject
You use abject to emphasize that a situation or quality is extremely bad.
Both of them died in abject poverty.
bad-tempered
Someone who is bad-tempered is not very cheerful and gets angry easily.
a crusty, bad-tempered, ill-humoured old gentleman
grumbling
snarling
tooshie (Australian , slang)
chippy (informal)
dyspeptic
oversensitive
snappish
narky (British , slang)
out of humour
Source
Thesaurus for miserable from the
Collins English Thesaurus
Dictionary definition
If you are miserable , you are very unhappy.
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