miserable的基本意思是“悲惨的,不幸的,可怜的”,用于人时指身心处于极为痛苦的状态,也指可怜的贫困或不体面; 用于物时指极为贫乏、不充足或粗劣,令人痛苦或悲愤,引申可表示“低劣的,贫乏的”“卑鄙的,可耻的”。

用作定语
▲～+n.
We have a miserable life.我们过了一段悲惨的生活。
They started their holiday on a miserable day.他们假期开始时天气很不好。
He was born in a miserable family.他出身于一个贫困的家庭。
We have been living in this miserable house for years.我们在这所粗劣的房子里住了好多年。
What a miserable old devil he was!他是多么可恶的吝啬鬼呀!
用作表语
▲S+be+～
The laboring people's life is miserable in the old society.旧社会劳动人民的生活很悲惨。
Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
Their living conditions are miserable.他们的生活条件太糟糕了。
She felt miserable for months after she got her divorce.她离婚后难过了好几个月。
He was miserable after his sons were all killed by the enemy.他的儿子全被敌人杀害后,他痛苦万分。
▲S+be+～+prep.-phrase
We all felt very miserable at the bad news.听到这个消息,我们大家感到很难过。
They were miserable with hunger and cold.他们饥寒交迫。
▲It is/was+～+of sb+to-v
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
用作宾语补足语
▲S+V+O+～
He makes her life miserable.他使她的生活苦不堪言。

miserable, sorrowful, sorry, unhappy
参见sorry条。
miserable, wretched
这两个词都有“痛苦的,悲惨的”意思。miserable指某种境况,如贫困、屈辱或不幸而造成的肉体与精神上的痛苦; wretched指由于忧伤,疾病等引起而使外表看起来悲惨、穷困、肮脏,含有极端沮丧之意。

［同义词］   penniless, poor, unhappy
［反义词］   happy, joyful, wealthy
［词源］＜拉丁语miserabilis(值得同情)