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Lackluster may describe things that are dull, but the word itself is no yawn. In its earliest uses in the early 17th century, lackluster (also spelled lacklustre) usually described eyes that were dull or lacking in brightness, as in “a lackluster stare.” Later, it came to describe other things whose sheen had been removed; Charles Dickens, in his 1844 novel Martin Chuzzlewit, writes of the faded image of the dragon on the sign outside a village alehouse: “many a wintry storm of rain, snow, sleet, and hail, had changed his colour from a gaudy blue to a faint lack-lustre shade of grey.” These days lackluster is broadly used to describe anything blah, from a spiritless sensation to a humdrum hump day.
Examples of lackluster in a Sentence
Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 July 2024
The comments come as President Biden has been under increasing pressure to step aside as the Democratic nominee following a lackluster performance during his June 27 presidential debate with former President Donald Trump.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024
Turk continued to denigrate his fellow New Orleans native, accusing B.G. of attempting to assert his will and downplaying his recent string of musical releases as lackluster.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 July 2024
Following Biden’s lackluster debate performance, Harris is back in the spotlight as a viable alternative amid increasing concern from voters, fellow Democrats, and donors about Biden’s age (81) and mental fitness.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 8 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for lackluster 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lackluster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lackluster. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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lackluster
adjective
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