dismal

American  

[diz-muhl] / ˈdɪz məl /

adjective

1. causing gloom or dejection; gloomy; dreary; cheerless; melancholy.

   dismal weather.

   Antonyms:

   gay, cheerful

2. characterized by ineptness or lack of skill, competence, effectiveness, imagination, or interest; pitiful.

   Our team played a dismal game.

   Synonyms:

   dreadful, abysmal, hopeless

3. Obsolete.

   1. disastrous; calamitous.

   2. unlucky; sinister.

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noun

1. Southern U.S. a tract of swampy land, usually along the coast.

dismal British  

/ ˈdɪzməl /

adjective

1. causing gloom or depression

2. causing dismay or terror

3. of poor quality or a low standard; feeble

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Other Word Forms

• dismality noun
• dismally adverb
• dismalness noun

Etymology

Origin of dismal

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English dismale “unlucky time,” dismol day one of two days in each month considered unlucky (hence later taken as adjective), from Anglo-French dis mal, from Medieval Latin diēs malī, literally, “evil days”; diary ( def. ), mal- ( def. )

Example Sentences

Hammers boss Nuno said last weekend's dismal 3-0 defeat against bottom of the table Wolves was the worst of his managerial career.

From Barron's

They won back-to-back league matches against Aberdeen and Livingston to stop the rot, but were beaten 2-0 at Motherwell on Tuesday and collapsed in a dismal second-half at home to Rangers.

From BBC

A first half at Celtic Park that offered such promise made way for another second half of dismal collapse.

From BBC

Crystal Palace are another team I've been wrong about a lot recently - they are on a dismal run, with only one point from their past four games.

From BBC

The dismal performance in this case was triggered by weak first-quarter earnings and a mixed outlook for the fiscal year.

From Barron's

Related Words

• depressing
• dim
• discouraging
• disheartening
• dull
• ghastly
• horrible
• horrid
• miserable
• murky
• sad