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 of abysmal

• terrible
• horrible
• poor
• awful
• dismal
• atrocious

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

But the abysmal snowpack is also causing a bad feedback loop, allowing the mountains to warm more than usual. —Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026

The department’s depleted police ranks had dropped from 920 officers in 2019 to an abysmal 560 in 2024. —Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 13 Feb. 2026

Still, McDonald's stock was one of the better performers in an abysmal year for the restaurant sector in 2025, rising 5%. —Kate Rogers, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026

But Tuesday night’s attempt was abysmal, with Canada only mustering four shots on goal in the first period and just 20 by the end of the night. —Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026

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