Etymology
Origin of lackluster
Explanation
Lackluster is a compound adjective that means what it sounds like: if something is lackluster it lacks luster; in other words, it is without brilliance, shine, or vitality. Think dull. Shakespeare gave us the compound lackluster, first using the term in his play As You Like It. In 2:7, the character Jacques says, "And then he drew a dial from his poke, And, looking on it with lack-lustre eye..." Since Shakespeare first coined this word, it has been used to describe anything "blah"; lackluster sales would worry shop owners and a lackluster prom dress might help you blend in with the wallpaper.
Vocabulary lists containing lackluster
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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This Week in Pop Culture: November 3 - 9, 2018
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Indeed, a stretch of lackluster performance following a rebalancing would be nothing new for the Russell 2000.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Despite opening several new stores, the company had a lackluster fourth quarter in 2025 and missed its revenue projection.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
It would fix labor shortages, underfunded pension systems and lackluster productivity growth, they said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Davis says he thinks the lackluster performance of the stock this year has reflected a “show-me” attitude about Greg Abel, the new CEO.
From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026
She still looked unconvinced, which, considering my peace offering was a lackluster salad with soggy croutons, was not all that surprising.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
