1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a suitably dismal setting for a haunted house
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressing
causing unhappiness
the dismal failure of our hopes for the championship
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3
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
the quarterback's dismal performance suggested that he had not fully recovered from his recent injury
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Recent Examples of dismal
Meanwhile, the Sun had a dismal offensive start hitting just 35.5% from the field before halftime and starting 1-for-9 from 3-point range.
—
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 21 May 2025
Japanese companies Honda and Nissan just announced dismal quarterly earnings — and things could get worse: The numbers don’t yet factor in their hits from tariffs.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 13 May 2025
Schaeffer, 40, wasn’t just talking about his career opportunity, but about the team’s chance to turn around a dismal season.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 May 2025
After shooting a solid 45.9% from the perimeter in Game 1, the Knicks fell to just 29% in Game 2 and shot a dismal 20% in Game 3, including going just 2-for-17 (11.7%) in the first three quarters.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismal
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 21 May 2025
Japanese companies Honda and Nissan just announced dismal quarterly earnings — and things could get worse: The numbers don’t yet factor in their hits from tariffs.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 13 May 2025
Schaeffer, 40, wasn’t just talking about his career opportunity, but about the team’s chance to turn around a dismal season.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 May 2025
After shooting a solid 45.9% from the perimeter in Game 1, the Knicks fell to just 29% in Game 2 and shot a dismal 20% in Game 3, including going just 2-for-17 (11.7%) in the first three quarters.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismal
Adjective
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At the same time, others who attended this year’s California Democratic Party Convention dismissed any notion that the future of the Democratic Party is bleak.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
31 May 2025
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The early options on the GOP side are bleak: Neither Donalds nor Casey DeSantis, the governor’s wife who’s said to be interested in succeeding him, is the moderate Florida so desperately needs now.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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The mortality rates of small indie presses and literary journals are a depressing feature of our cultural landscape.—
Michael Washburn,
National Review,
25 May 2025
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Despite there being ample intrigue and mystery around what happened to Peter's first wife, the truth is pretty depressing.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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One night the fish was very overcooked and covered with a terrible sauce.—
Sheah Rarback,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
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Djokovic knew he’d be seeded to play one of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev or Taylor Fritz in the quarters, and in the end landed Zverev, which isn’t a terrible outcome, but would leave him with a possible Sinner-Alcaraz double bill in the semifinals and final to lift the trophy.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Blast off at Baltimore's science fiction convention, see natural beauty envisioned by artists from around the world, take a stroll after dark at the zoo, celebrate Baltimore creatives or go to a legendary concert.—
John Coffren,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2025
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His dark worldview is premised on the pessimistic presumption that the world will turn on the Jews if given the chance, which is why the Israeli leader has long prized hard power over diplomatic understandings.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Stewart is still thanked by gay fans by creating such a rare, highly visible (albeit sad) representation.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
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My back hurt from that sad excuse for a chair (seriously, who designs dining chairs to feel like medieval torture devices?).—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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There’s no doubt that Lewis, abandoned as a baby by his parents, has done some horrible stuff.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 May 2025
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Given the horrible economic incentives that government regulation has created, the surprise is not that some patients experience mistreatment.—
John C. Goodman,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Plus, the combination of the stone fireplace and the dark wood cabinets and shelves flanking it contributed to the overall impression of a somber, too-serious space.—
Meghan Holloran,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2025
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Trump will participate in the traditional wreath-laying ceremony and speak at the cemetery’s amphitheater, in what has been a somber occasion for U.S. presidents.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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What with weakened teams and consistently pathetic performances, their league form on both their parts has been pathetic enough to be termed a dereliction of duty.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Take yesterday’s left hook out of nowhere by President Donald Trump, bragging about doing something that would bust even this pathetic budget.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dismal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismal. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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