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
The 1986 student walkouts in San Antonio’s Edgewood ISD over abysmal education conditions sparked change in Texas’ public school funding system.
—
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
Polls show voters favor Democrats by a wide margin and Trump’s approval is hovering around 40%, an abysmal level that usually presages major losses for the sitting president’s party.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
And the rooms are all manner of abysmal conditions.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Last year, after decades of often bitter debate, California took an important step toward raising the abysmal levels of reading ability among many of its public school students.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abysmal
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Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
Polls show voters favor Democrats by a wide margin and Trump’s approval is hovering around 40%, an abysmal level that usually presages major losses for the sitting president’s party.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
And the rooms are all manner of abysmal conditions.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Last year, after decades of often bitter debate, California took an important step toward raising the abysmal levels of reading ability among many of its public school students.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abysmal
Cite this Entry
“Abysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abysmal. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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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