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View synonyms for

dismal

[ diz-muhl ]

adjective

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

    dismal weather.

    Antonyms: ,

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

    Our team played a dismal game.

    Synonyms: , ,

  3. Obsolete.
    1. disastrous; calamitous.
    2. unlucky; sinister.


noun

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

dismal

/ ˈɪə /

adjective

  1. causing gloom or depression
  2. causing dismay or terror
  3. of poor quality or a low standard; feeble
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈ徱Ա, noun
  • ˈ徱, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • 徱m· adverb
  • 徱m·Ա 徱·i·ٲ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dismal1

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 徱ŧ malī, literally, “evil days”; diary ( def ), mal- ( def )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dismal1

C13: from dismal (noun) list of 24 unlucky days in the year, from Medieval Latin 徱ŧ malī bad days, from Latin 徱ŧ day + malus bad
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Foreign policy and national security are both bleak and dismal nightmares.

From

I take my hat off to Saints fans, because they have stuck with their team through such a dismal season - and maybe they will have something to celebrate when they play Leicester next week.

From

"As you are not prepared to do that, I am therefore left to conclude that this summit is designed to deflect attention from your party's dismal record."

From

All told, the Dodgers scored seven times, had nine batters reach base and chased Márquez from the game after 37 dismal pitches.

From

England are yet to appoint a successor to Knight after she stepped down following this winter's dismal 16-0 Ashes defeat.

From

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