miserable

miserable — adjective

1. feeling extremely sad or unhappy, often because something bad has happened or be

1.形容詞B1
釋義

feeling extremely sad or unhappy, often because something bad has happened or because life feels difficult.

例句

After Walid failed his driving test for the third time, he felt completely miserable.

feel + miserable for emotional state

The long rainy season made Élise miserable as she could not go outside.

同義詞
  • unhappy

    less intense; describes a general lack of happiness rather than deep suffering

  • sad

    milder and more general; can describe brief or mild unhappiness

  • wretched

    stronger than miserable, suggesting extreme suffering or hopelessness

反義詞
  • happy

    feeling pleasure or contentment

  • cheerful

    noticeably happy and in a good mood

文法句型

feel + miserable

look + miserable

make someone + miserable

miserable + about + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Often pairs with verbs of state: feel, look, seem, sound, or the causative make someone. The preposition about introduces the cause of unhappiness.

常見錯誤

❌I felt miserable with the cold weather' (when meaning annoyed).
✅I felt miserable because of the cold weather.
💡Use 'because of' or 'about' to name the cause, not 'with'.
❌He is a miserable person who never smiles' (confusing with personality trait).
✅He felt miserable after losing his job.
💡For a temporary emotional state, use 'feel/look miserable'; for a personality trait, use 'grumpy' or 'miserable' only in sense 5.

2. so unpleasant or uncomfortable that it causes unhappiness — used about weather,

2.形容詞B1
釋義

so unpleasant or uncomfortable that it causes unhappiness — used about weather, places, living conditions, or experiences.

例句

The refugees spent a miserable night in the cold without any shelter.

a miserable + [night/day/week] for unpleasant experience

Felipe's living conditions were so miserable that he decided to move out.

miserable living conditions

同義詞
  • unpleasant

    weaker; describes things that are simply not enjoyable

  • dreadful

    stronger emotional reaction; suggests fear or disgust as well as unhappiness

  • appalling

    shockingly bad; suggests moral outrage at the conditions

反義詞

文法句型

be + miserable (of weather/conditions)

a + miserable + noun (day/week/place)

用法筆記

Commonly modifies nouns for weather (miserable day/weather), living spaces (miserable apartment/room), and extended experiences (miserable trip/existence). Describes the external situation itself, not a person's inner feeling.

常見錯誤

❌The food tasted miserable.
✅The food was miserable.
💡'Miserable' describes the quality of an experience, not a taste or flavour.

3. very bad in quality — so poor that it causes disappointment, annoyance, or embar

3.形容詞B2
釋義

very bad in quality — so poor that it causes disappointment, annoyance, or embarrassment.

例句

The hotel offered a miserable breakfast of stale bread and cold coffee.

a miserable + [meal/breakfast] for poor quality

Haruto gave a miserable performance at the piano recital and forgot half the notes.

同義詞
  • pitiful

    adds a sense that the poor quality is disappointing or shameful

  • lousy

    more informal; common in everyday speech

  • pathetic

    even stronger; suggests the poor quality is ridiculous

反義詞

文法句型

a + miserable + noun (performance/meal/result)

用法筆記

Strongly negative; avoid using for minor disappointments. For example, a slightly cold meal is 'not very good', not 'miserable'. This sense works best with specific countable nouns (meal, performance, attempt) rather than abstract qualities.

常見錯誤

❌The coffee was a bit miserable.
✅The coffee was miserable.
💡Do not use 'a bit' or 'slightly' with this sense; 'miserable' already conveys strong disapproval.

4. so small in amount that it is not enough for what is needed or expected — used e

4.形容詞B2
釋義

so small in amount that it is not enough for what is needed or expected — used especially about money, wages, or portions.

例句

Nicholas worked sixty hours a week for a miserable salary that barely covered rent.

a miserable + salary/wage for insufficient pay

The company offered Adina a miserable two percent raise after a year of hard work.

同義詞
  • pitiful

    adds emotional appeal — the small amount seems unfair or cruel

  • meagre

    more formal; common in written business or academic contexts

  • paltry

    suggests contempt for how little is given

反義詞
  • generous

    large in amount; more than enough

  • ample

    more than sufficient for what is needed

文法句型

a + miserable + amount/number (salary/wage/pension/portion)

用法筆記

Always precedes a noun referring to a quantity or amount. The amount itself may be named (miserable two percent) or implied by the noun (miserable salary). Carries a tone of complaint or disapproval about unfairness.

常見錯誤

❌The pay was miserable small.
✅The pay was miserable.
💡'Miserable' already means very small; do not add another size adjective.

5. morally bad or shameful, deserving of hatred or strong disapproval from other pe

5.形容詞C1
釋義

morally bad or shameful, deserving of hatred or strong disapproval from other people.

例句

Cheating an elderly person out of their savings is a miserable act that deserves punishment.

a miserable + act/deed for morally bad behaviour

The politician told a miserable lie to cover up the corruption scandal.

同義詞
  • contemptible

    more formal; directly states that the person or act deserves contempt

  • despicable

    stronger; suggests the person or act is so bad it inspires hatred

  • wretched

    can overlap, but also carries overtones of pity or low status

反義詞
  • admirable

    deserving respect and approval

  • noble

    having high moral qualities

文法句型

a + miserable + noun (person/act/lie/creature)

be + miserable

用法筆記

Strongly judgemental. Use when the speaker wants to express moral condemnation, not mere dislike. Distinguish from sense 1: a 'miserable person' here is worthy of contempt, not someone who feels sad.

常見錯誤

❌He was miserable for stealing.' (confusing with sense 1: feeling sad).
✅His act of stealing was miserable.
💡Use this sense for moral judgement of actions or character, not for describing someone's emotional state in response to their own wrongdoing.