misery

IPA/ˈmɪzəri/
KK[mˈɪzɚi]IPA/ˈmɪzəri/

misery — 名詞

  • miserysingular
  • miseriesplural

1. a state of extreme unhappiness, pain, or emotional distress, especially one that

1.名詞B2
釋義

痛苦；苦難

因困難處境而產生的極度不快樂或折磨

a state of extreme unhappiness, pain, or emotional distress, especially one that lasts a long time or is brought on by very hard life conditions — for example, losing a loved one, living in poverty, or suffering a long illness.

例句

The Chen family lived in misery after losing their home in the flood.

陳家在洪水過後失去家園，過著痛苦的生活。

collocation: live in misery

Years of illness brought nothing but misery to Saira's grandfather.

長年的疾病帶給 Saira 的祖父無盡的痛苦。

bring nothing but misery to [person]

常見搭配
  • deep misery
  • utter misery
  • sheer misery
  • abject misery
  • live in misery
  • wallow in misery
  • escape misery
  • end the misery
  • misery of poverty
  • misery of war
同義詞
  • suffering

    broader term covering both physical and emotional pain; less intense and more general than misery

  • distress

    focuses on worry, anxiety, or upset; usually less severe and shorter in duration than misery

  • anguish

    more intense, more purely emotional; suggests mental torture rather than circumstantial hardship

  • agony

    extreme, often acute pain; can be physical or mental, but implies greater intensity in a shorter time frame

反義詞
  • happiness

    general opposite; the state of being content or joyful

  • bliss

    extreme happiness; suggests a complete absence of any suffering

  • comfort

    focuses on ease and freedom from hardship

文法句型

adjective + misery

in misery

misery + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Typically uncountable — do not say "a misery" when referring to unhappiness (that belongs to sense 2). Frequently modified by adjectives such as utter, sheer, pure, abject, or deep. Common in both formal and everyday contexts but most natural when describing prolonged suffering rather than a brief moment of sadness.

常見錯誤

I have a misery in my leg.
I have a pain in my leg.
Misery describes emotional or circumstantial suffering, not a physical sensation.
The news brought me a misery.
The news brought me misery.
As an uncountable noun, misery does not take the article 'a' when referring to suffering.

2. someone who is never satisfied, complains all the time, and whose negative attit

2.名詞C1
釋義

愛抱怨的人

總是不快樂且不停抱怨的人

someone who is never satisfied, complains all the time, and whose negative attitude makes other people feel uncomfortable or annoyed.

例句

Nobody wanted to sit next to Walid at dinner because he was such a misery.

晚餐時沒有人想坐在 Walid 旁邊，因為他是個很愛抱怨的人。

informal: 'be such a misery'

Our supervisor is a real misery — she never has anything good to say about anyone.

我們的主管真是個愛抱怨的人——她從來不說任何人的好話。

a real misery (countable singular)

常見搭配
  • a misery
  • such a misery
  • real misery
  • complete misery
  • old misery
同義詞
  • grouch

    similar meaning but slightly less intense; more common in American English

  • moaner

    focuses specifically on a person who complains verbally rather than on their general negative mood

文法句型

be + a + misery

such a misery

a real / complete misery

用法筆記

Countable noun — must take 'a' or 'the' in singular form. More common in British English than American English; in US English, 'a grouch' or 'a sourpuss' are more frequently used instead. The tone is mildly critical but can be affectionate when used among close friends.

常見錯誤

He is misery today.
He is a misery today.
When referring to a person, the article 'a' is required because this sense is countable.
She is such a miser.
She is such a misery.
A miser is someone who hoards money; a misery is someone who always complains. These are different words.
慣用語

put someone out of their misery

idiom

a) to kill an animal that is suffering from an illness or injury that cannot be treated, so that it no longer feels pain. b) to tell someone something they are very eager to know, so they stop worrying or waiting anxiously.

讓某人解脫；解除痛苦；告知結果

The vet decided it was kinder to put the old dog out of its misery.

Please put me out of my misery — did I pass the exam or not?

misery loves company

idiom

a saying that unhappy people feel less unhappy when other people are also suffering or having a hard time.

同病相憐

Eri was oddly relieved that her colleague had also made a mistake in the report — misery loves company, she thought.

make somebody’s life a misery

idiom

To cause someone to be very unhappy over a period of time.

讓某人生活痛苦

The noisy neighbors made our life a misery for months.

Did the bully make your life a misery at school?

put an animal, a bird, etc. out of its misery

idiom

To kill a creature that is suffering from an incurable illness or injury.

結束（動物）的痛苦

The vet put the injured cat out of its misery.

Should we put the sick bird out of its misery?

put somebody out of their misery

idiom

To tell someone something they are eager to know, ending their anxiety.

解除某人的焦慮

Put me out of my misery and tell me the test results.

She put him out of his misery by revealing the winner.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

  • cause misery
  • bring misery
  • end misery
  • escape misery
  • endure misery
  • suffer misery
  • spread misery

常用片語

  • misery and suffering
  • poverty and misery
  • a life of misery
  • an existence of misery

介系詞搭配

  • in misery
  • out of misery
  • through misery
  • of misery