abysmal

adjective

abys·​mal ə-ˈbiz-məl 

a-

1

a

: immeasurably low or wretched : extremely poor or bad

abysmal ignorance/poverty

abysmal living conditions

an abysmal performance

b

: having immense or fathomless extension downward, backward, or inward

an abysmal cliff

2

: abyssal sense 2

abysmally

ə-ˈbiz-mə-lē 

a-

adverb

abysmally ignorant

an abysmally poor performance

Synonyms

• bottomless
• deep
• profound

Examples of abysmal in a Sentence

They were living in abysmal ignorance.

a desperate cry echoing from the abysmal reaches of the cave

Recent Examples on the Web

Their starting pitching has been abysmal, with a combined ERA of 5.30 that ranks last in MLB. —Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025

Further, Dunne alleges that the amount she was offered was abysmal. —Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

During my years of acquaintance -- late 1970s and early 1980s -- traffic access to the Sportatorium was abysmal. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025

So at the beginning, conditions were really abysmal. —Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

abysm + -al entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for abysmal

• baptismal
• aneurysmal
• paroxysmal
• dismal

Kids Definition

abysmal

adjective

abys·​mal ə-ˈbiz-məl 

1

a

: extremely poor or bad

abysmal living conditions

b

: having an immense extension downward, backward, or inward

2

: abyssal

abysmally

-mə-lē 

adverb