lackluster

American

[lak-luhs-ter] / ˈlækˌlʌs tər /

especially British, lacklustre

adjective

lacking lack brilliance or radiance; dull.

lackluster eyes.
lacking lack liveliness, vitality, spirit, or enthusiasm.

a lackluster performance.

noun

a lack of brilliance or vitality.

Etymology

Origin of lackluster

First recorded in 1590–1600; lack + luster ¹

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.

The shrinkage follows lackluster economic performance in 2025, which plummeted the company’s shares by 25% in February.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Concerns over elevated AI spending and arguably lackluster cloud growth have helped drag the stock 11% lower over the course of 2026.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

Japan's Nintendo has enjoyed bumper sales for its latest Switch 2 console, but some have called the line-up of new games for the device lackluster.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

During the first week of February, ADP reported that the private sector added a lackluster 22,000 jobs in January.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

“I’ve noticed a lackluster attitude growing among you.”

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023