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

The film rests in a dismal tone for so long that its gloominess becomes sappy, making the ending feel hackneyed and inevitable.

From Salon

And the growth in people's spending power is predicted to be "dismal".

From BBC

David: Another dismal pedestrian performance from Rangers, how fans can pay to watch that team every week is beyond me.

From BBC

But the dismal state of the Raiders falls on him as head coach.

From Los Angeles Times

England have passed up the opportunity to send their first-choice batters to gain match practice in an Ashes tour game in Canberra, despite a dismal defeat in the first Test.

From BBC

Related Words

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