ABYSMAL Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

abysmal

adjective

ə-ˈbiz-məl

Definition of abysmal

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory The coach apologized for the abysmal performance of the team in the loss.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deep

extending far downward Strange sounds echoed from the abysmal reaches of the cave.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of abysmal This is not worth a 5-year contract worth $10 million per season, and those within the athletic department are well-aware of what could happen if UNC puts together back-to-back abysmal seasons. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 And the gender discourse is abysmal, especially in the villages. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026 These are producing smoke that’s creating abysmal air quality in the Pacific Northwest at large. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 But while The Precariat may come across as an abysmal portrait of current life that seems inescapable, the ladies of Tommy Lefroy do leave breadcrumbs of hope on the album. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abysmal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abysmal

Adjective

But even without it, there seems to be some truth to the idea that if these teams were terrible businesses, they wouldn’t be sold for billions of dollars.

— Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Not by tightening the siege on Iran directly, but by tightening the siege on those who help this regime, this terrible dictatorship.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

At the start of the year, Iceland Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir said that deeper dialogue and collaboration with the EU would be a key factor in shoring up the country's interests.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Thankfully, his reappearance in the show actually has a deeper purpose.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of deep

Adjective

Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

The authors argue that this has profound implications for composite materials in general.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Twenty-nine years have passed since then, yet the memory of the princess—an empathetic woman who defied convention, vulnerable yet rebellious, and imbued with a profound humanity—remains vivid and very much alive in the eyes of the entire world.

— Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of profound

Adjective

Dozens of companies have withdrawn over the past decades due to poor profits, an uncertain business outlook and concerns about harm to their reputations from making arms, especially lethal weapons.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Along the way, the audience can expect tons of humiliation, terrible second prizes, and the guarantee that Robertson will turn at least one poor soul's wrong turn into several minutes of unhinged public destruction.

— Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

Cyber stocks late last year and into 2026 were being lumped into the awful enterprise software trade.

— Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
In 2024, Burke’s squad dragged itself off the mat after an awful (yet at the time, typical) start to the season to go unbeaten in 12 of 13 matches down the stretch and narrowly miss the playoffs.

— Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of awful

Adjective

With each successive win, the Boston Red Sox have put their atrocious start to the season further behind them, but this weekend at Dodger Stadium has felt different.

— Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
The trailers looked awful, with a predictably sloppy anti-hero feel, atrocious visual effects, and an uninteresting plot and villain.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of atrocious

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“Abysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abysmal. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of abysmal

adjective

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