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
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
Xi's approval rating was nearly as abysmal in Canada, with 16 percent expressing faith in his role as a world leader and 74 percent voicing little to no confidence.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024
The current president’s job performance got similarly abysmal reviews: 69% of those polled gave a negative rating when asked about his term thus far.
—Carmela Guaglianone, Detroit Free Press, 29 June 2024
Steve Billig, Denver President Biden’s debate performance was abysmal.
—Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 28 June 2024
Most of these fish are riddled with lice, and their survival rates are abysmal when compared to wild fish.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for abysmal 
David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024
The current president’s job performance got similarly abysmal reviews: 69% of those polled gave a negative rating when asked about his term thus far.
—Carmela Guaglianone, Detroit Free Press, 29 June 2024
Steve Billig, Denver President Biden’s debate performance was abysmal.
—Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 28 June 2024
Most of these fish are riddled with lice, and their survival rates are abysmal when compared to wild fish.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for abysmal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abysmal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near abysmal
Cite this Entry
“Abysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abysmal. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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