dismal
adjective
causing gloom or dejection; gloomy; dreary; cheerless; melancholy.
dismally
-
a word derived from
dismal.
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.
Is it just me, or is the manager not the problem for this woeful, dismally run franchise?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
Scotland experienced a stratospheric high of back-to-back penalty shoot-out victories to qualify for the Covid-delayed Euros, then failed dismally when they got there.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
In a dismally unwise attempt to curry favor and get a lighter sentence, he gives the authorities the name of the perpetrator—making up the tale.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
Utah shot dismally, hitting only 33% of its shots in the first half.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
They tipped their heads up and began hooting dismally.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
