abysmal

adjective

ə-ˈbiz-məl How to pronounce abysmal (audio)
Definition of abysmalnext
1
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory The coach apologized for the abysmal performance of the team in the loss.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deep
extending far downward Strange sounds echoed from the abysmal reaches of the cave.

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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 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 With Skubal and so many other players injured, their May was abysmal, the type of nightmare month that can tank an entire season. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 The sight of hazy skies will be familiar to those who lived through recent summers when Canadian wildfire smoke poured into the United States, including in 2023 when air quality turned abysmal for millions of Americans. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 16 July 2026 Some individual defenders have played well, but on the whole, the defense has been abysmal, and it can’t be blamed solely on injuries to players like Lindor and Marcus Semien. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 12 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for abysmal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abysmal
  1. terrible
  2. deep
  3. horrible
  4. profound
  5. poor
  6. awful
  7. dismal
  8. atrocious
Adjective
  • That Crowley came from behind to win was a testament to Evers’ grit and determination to keep the nomination from Hong, whom Evers said was unlikely to win in November, and to how terrible of a campaigner Hong turned out to be in the home stretch.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Although the Constitution requires congressional involvement in war-making, Trump like Nixon disdained that mandate with terrible consequences.
    — Elizabeth Holtzman, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Many of his supporters harbor deep frustration and anger at the American for-profit healthcare system.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Not to be cheated in front of the largest assembly of Hall of Famers since the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, Schwarber flew out twice to deep center field.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of deep
Adjective
  • Whatever cloud of innocence has hung over Jo’s life until this point is shattered, both parents struggling how to navigate the horrible experience from an emotional as well as a purely bureaucratic perspective.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • After years of seeing enough photos of fabulous wealth and horrible tragedy, these types of images cease to shock us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • This move, widely perceived as securing support for his 2027 re-election, has sparked a profound global North/South divide within football governance.
    — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Most European governments, unlike the current American Administration, recognize climate change as a profound threat.
    — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of profound
Adjective
  • On the other lies a park in one of the Bronx’s poorest communities, built on the site of the former Yankee Stadium after the old home of the Yankees was torn down in 2009 and 2010.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The disease still makes lots of people feel awful for a week or two, foiling their summer vacations and forcing them to miss work and school.
    — Rob Stein, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Singing in the shower, gardening, baking, and writing poetry (yes, even awful poetry) are all good options.
    — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • The Voyagers have been skirting this dismal fate for years now, with NASA engineers carefully monitoring each spacecraft’s power supplies and plotting out when to turn off individual instruments to keep the missions going as long as possible.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
  • So why did the stock market rally on Friday following the shockingly dismal jobs report?
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismal
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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abysm
abysmal
abysmally
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Cite this Entry

“Abysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abysmal. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of abysmal for Spanish Speakers

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