dismal

[diz-muhl] / ˈdɪz məl /

ADJECTIVE

bleak, dreary, gloomy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depressing dim discouraging disheartening dull ghastly horrible horrid miserable murky sad

WEAK

afflictive black boring cheerless cloudy dark depressed desolate despondent dingy disagreeable dispiriting doleful dolorous forlorn frowning funereal gruesome hopeless in the pits inauspicious joyless lonesome lowering lugubrious melancholy monotonous morbid oppressive overcast shadowy somber sorrowful tedious tenebrous troublesome unfortunate unhappy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful clear encouraging favorable happy intelligent joyful light luminous pleasant smart

WEAK

glad hopeful

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.

Only the dismal Colorado Rockies have been worse over that span.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The 2025 box office ended up reaching about $8.87 billion, just barely above 2024’s already dismal total.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Although the government shutdown subtracted about a percentage point of economic growth, the softer spending also contributed to the dismal 0.7% growth rate in inflation-adjusted gross domestic product.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

The world number 10 hit 28 unforced errors, five double faults and won just four of 21 points behind his second serve in a dismal showing.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

In between these two low points of his birth and his success lay thirty-one dismal years of loneliness and frustration.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Vocabulary lists containing dismal

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!