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• Misery loves company
  Misery loves company

  People who are unhappy may get some consolation from knowing that others are unhappy too.
• misery loves company
  misery loves company

  Fellow sufferers make unhappiness easier to bear, as in She secretly hoped her friend would fail, too—misery loves company. Words to this effect appeared in the work of Sophocles (c. 408 b.c.) and other ancient writers; the earliest recorded use in English was about 1349.

Misery loves company

Cultural  

1. People who are unhappy may get some consolation from knowing that others are unhappy too.

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misery loves company Idioms  

1. Fellow sufferers make unhappiness easier to bear, as in She secretly hoped her friend would fail, too—misery loves company. Words to this effect appeared in the work of Sophocles (c. 408 b.c.) and other ancient writers; the earliest recorded use in English was about 1349.

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Example Sentences

Whether it’s the idea that misery loves company or that everyone endures and overcomes some sort of hardship, a glimmer of hope exists in a future that is unwritten.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2025

And while misery loves company, there are some steps travelers can take to improve the experience:

From Washington Times • Nov. 20, 2023

And while there’s no doubt that fed-up fans have been around since time immemorial, and around here since Diego Segui threw the first Mariners pitch in 1977, there’s also no doubt that misery loves company.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 29, 2023

For now, it’s just a comfort to know that there are others with me too, because misery loves company.

From The Verge • Aug. 5, 2022

Anyway I figured Leah and I could tell each other our troubles, since misery loves company, even though she has a husband that is still alive at least, which is more than I can say.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver