abysmal

[ uh-biz-muh l ]

/ əˈbɪz məl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR abysmal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or like an abyss; immeasurably deep or great.

extremely or hopelessly bad or severe: abysmal ignorance; abysmal poverty.

Nearby words

Origin of abysmal

First recorded in 1650–60; abysm + -al¹

Related formsa·bys·mal·ly, adverbul·tra-a·bys·mal, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for abysmal

For everybody else, public schools were the only option—and these institutions often had an abysmal record.
Your Local School Doesn’t Have to Suck|Michael S. Roth|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a mess, and when Ball exited as showrunner following the abysmal fifth season, it got even worse.
'True Blood' Ends With a Whimper: The Sexy HBO Vampire Series Is (Finally) Over|Marlow Stern|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yes, the economy remains sclerotic, work force participation is abysmal, and wages stagnate.
GOP’s Biggest 2016 Problem: Clinton’s Numbers Among White Voters|Lloyd Green|June 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It has been, by all accounts, an abysmal year when it comes to comedy films.
June Squibb, the Curse-Happy Elderly Mom In ‘Nebraska,’ Delivers the Year’s Funniest Turn|Marlow Stern|November 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST

For guys, Indiana Jones enjoyed a resurgence, thanks to the abysmal sequel that had just been released.
The Most Popular Halloween Costumes Through the Years: 1985-2013|Kevin Fallon|October 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In his abysmal discouragement his ideals were all topsy-turvy.
The Cup of Fury|Rupert Hughes
Borckman felt the abysmal urgings of the beast, as a beast, to prove himself master of this four-legged beast.
Jerry of the Islands|Jack London
If the devils who plan wars could only see the abysmal result of their handiwork!
Carry On|Coningsby Dawson
He shut the cabinet door; the flashlight went out; and he stood like a man stunned, the sense of some abysmal disaster upon him.
The Adventures of Jimmie Dale|Frank L. Packard
And yet how abysmal was the difference between then and now!
An Ambitious Woman|Edgar Fawcett

British Dictionary definitions for abysmal

abysmal

/ (əˈbɪzməl) /

adjective

immeasurable; very greatabysmal stupidity

informal extremely badan abysmal film

Derived Formsabysmally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for abysmal

abysmal

adj.

1650s, formed in English from abysm + -al (1). Weakened sense of "extremely bad" is first recorded 1904, perhaps from abysmal ignorance (suggestive of its "depth"), an expression attested from 1847. Related: Abysmally.

abysmal

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of abysmal

Examples from the Web for abysmal

abysmal

adjective

abysmal