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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
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
The ratings for the broadcast have been lackluster since O’Donnell’s departure earlier this year.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
The Dolphins are 1-5 this season with their only win against a lackluster New York Jets club in Week 4.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Buffalo’s power play is still a problem The Sabres’ lackluster power play was another offseason focus, and the early returns haven’t been promising.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Cite this Entry
“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lackluster. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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lackluster
adjective
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