Phrase guide

misery loves company

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹɪ lʌvz ˈkʌmp(ə)ni/
  • General-American: /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹi lʌvz ˈkʌmpəni/

1

proverb

Meaning 1

Misery is easier to bear when one is not the only one miserable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: البؤس يحبّ الصُحبة — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Chinese Mandarin: 同病相憐 /同病相怜 (tóngbìngxiānglián) — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Dutch: gedeelde smart is halve smart — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Finnish: kaksin aina kaunihimpi — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Galician: mal de moitos, consolo de todos — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • German: geteiltes Leid ist halbes Leid — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Italian: mal comune mezzo gaudio — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Japanese: 同病相憐れむ (dōbyō aiawaremu) — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Latin: solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Sicilian: trìvulu 'n cumuni e menzu javiu — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Spanish: nunca falta un roto para un descosido — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Spanish: mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos — misery is easier when one is not the only one
  • Spanish: la miseria es mas fácil de conllevar cuando uno no es el único — misery is easier when one is not the only one