miserable salary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'miserable salary' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a salary that is very low or inadequate. For example: "I am living on a miserable salary and cannot afford to buy anything but the bare necessities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In a shout, he sings: "The Comandante wants me to work and he pays me a miserable salary.

The New York Times

"We have no protection, no rights, we have a miserable salary, we work in catastrophic conditions," said Nazik Bekkal, a judge from Sidi Kacem in northern Morocco, at the demonstration.

The New York Times

A man with the intellectual pedigree of Rob Ford and the body of Chris Farley does not require the miserable salary and excruciating hours (which he does not keep, but, whatever) of a mayoral position to maintain his profile or accumulate wealth.

Vice

You start mentally scoping out which single adequate friend would be free to take your partner's space, if it came to it; the deposit you struggled to put down from your miserable salary would be wasted if you cancel the reservation.

Vice

Remember that most knockoffs are made by laboured children who are hired illegally for a miserable salary and they're often exploited; and if you're buying a knockoff, you're supporting this.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

As in other socialist command economies, it became part and parcel of the way India's so-called "Permit Raj" worked; taking baksheesh in return for doing their jobs was the way that government employees eked out their miserable salaries.

Independent

"They have miserable salaries, take on considerable risks, and still want to carry on".Participants in the courses praise the results, while complaining about the lack of focus and co-ordination among some providers.

The Economist

When Hurricane Hydrocarbons, a Canadian oil company, took over Yuzhneftegaz, a Kazakh state oil firm, in 1996 and introduced electronic identity cards for its employees, 300 people on its payroll disappeared overnight.The worst kind of petty corruption is generated by excessive government regulation administered by officials on miserable salaries.

The Economist

Mining for a miserable Peruvian salary was unthinkable.

The New Yorker

Patients in many cases may perceive informal payments as an act of solidarity and a necessary supplement to the miserable official salary of physicians [ 23].

BMC Health Services Research

The salaries are miserable, he says, and administration wretchedly bad.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "miserable salary", consider the emotional impact. It strongly conveys dissatisfaction and hardship due to low pay.

Common error

Avoid using "miserable salary" in professional or business settings where a more neutral term like "low compensation" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "miserable salary" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "miserable" modifies the noun "salary". It describes the quality or state of the salary as being unsatisfactory or inadequate. Ludwig AI confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "miserable salary" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that describes a salary considered inadequate or very low. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While it appears more frequently in news and media contexts, its usage is relatively uncommon overall. When writing, be mindful of the strong negative connotation and adjust the register accordingly, opting for more neutral alternatives in formal settings. Using related phrases like "paltry wage" or "inadequate income" can help tailor the message to the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

paltry wage

Focuses on the insignificance of the payment.

poor wage

Simply states the wage is of poor quality or insufficient.

inadequate income

Highlights that the income is not enough to meet needs.

meager income

Highlights the limited nature of the income.

insufficient pay

Emphasizes that the pay is not sufficient.

measly compensation

Stresses the contemptibly small amount of compensation.

underpaid position

Refers to the role itself being paid less than it should.

low remuneration

Uses a more formal term for pay, indicating the amount is low.

scanty earnings

Focuses on the meager nature of the earnings.

bottom dollar

Implies the lowest possible pay, suggesting a miserable outcome.

FAQs

What does "miserable salary" mean?

A "miserable salary" refers to a salary that is very low, inadequate, and causes unhappiness or hardship for the recipient.

What are some alternatives to saying "miserable salary"?

You can use alternatives such as "paltry wage", "inadequate income", or "insufficient pay" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use the phrase "miserable salary" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "miserable salary" is quite informal and carries a strong negative connotation. In formal writing, it's better to use more neutral terms such as "low compensation" or "inadequate remuneration".

How can I use "miserable salary" in a sentence?

You might say, "Despite working long hours, I'm still stuck with a "miserable salary"" or "Many workers are forced to accept a "miserable salary" due to limited job opportunities".