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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-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
On Thursday, the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) pulled back after lackluster results from ServiceNow and IBM reignited fears that many software companies are about to get chucked into the wastebin of the AI revolution.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Lush’s other co-founder, Mark Constantine, reviewed these lackluster bars and congratulated the pair on inventing something new(ish… solid was historically the norm in body and hair care up until plastic bottles took over).
—Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026
Just like Rory McIlroy did with his lackluster play in the third round of last week’s Masters, Kim’s late-round swoon breathed new life into the hopes of winning for a large chunk of the field.
—Bob Buttitta, Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Cite this Entry
“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lackluster. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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lackluster
adjective
