Synonyms of dismal

dismal

adjective

ˈdiz-məl 

1

as in bleak

causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer

a suitably dismal setting for a haunted house

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bleak
• depressing
• dark
• somber
• depressive
• lonely
• desolate
• darkening
• murky
• solemn
• miserable
• cold
• gray
• morbid
• lonesome
• wretched
• gloomy
• dreary
• blue
• depressed
• black
• cheerless
• dire
• sad
• glum
• lugubrious
• sullen
• morose
• disconsolate
• funereal
• forlorn
• drear
• cloudy
• oppressive
• chill
• comfortless
• sepulchral
• elegiac
• saturnine
• melancholy
• unhappy
• godforsaken
• woeful
• dreich
• desperate
• dull
• tenebrous
• hopeless
• negative
• woebegone
• grim
• dim
• discouraging
• dispiriting
• sunless
• dejected
• mournful
• dismaying
• plutonian
• tenebrific
• Cimmerian
• low
• distressful
• disheartening
• mirthless
• distressing
• melancholic
• pessimistic
• lamentable
• upsetting
• despondent
• inconsolable
• drab
• droopy
• sorrowful
• menacing
• down
• hangdog
• discomfiting
• dour
• plaintive
• colorless
• threatening
• lowering
• lowery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bright
• cheerful
• cheery
• friendly
• festive
• comforting
• sunshiny
• gay
• joyous
• cordial
• joyful
• merry
• buoyant
• jolly
• optimistic
• blithe
• gay
• mirthful
• hopeful
• encouraging
• cheering
• heartwarming
• blithesome
• jocund
• lighthearted
• lightsome

2

as in depressing

causing unhappiness

the dismal failure of our hopes for the championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• depressing
• sad
• pathetic
• unfortunate
• mournful
• melancholy
• heartbreaking
• dreary
• tearful
• disturbing
• saddening
• drear
• teary
• sorry
• lamentable
• deplorable
• woeful
• heartrending
• distressful
• distressing
• disquieting
• grievous
• perturbing
• discouraging
• dispiriting
• moving
• discomforting
• affecting
• touching
• poignant
• disheartening
• discomposing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• happy
• cheery
• glad
• inspiring
• uplifting
• pleasant
• stimulating
• delightful
• heartening
• stirring
• satisfying
• welcome
• enjoyable
• agreeable
• cheering
• pleasurable
• pleasing
• exhilarating
• heartwarming
• thrilling

3

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory

the quarterback's dismal performance suggested that he had not fully recovered from his recent injury

Synonyms & Similar Words

• terrible
• horrible
• poor
• awful
• abysmal
• bad
• atrocious
• lousy
• wretched
• rotten
• execrable
• sucky
• defective
• flawed
• inadequate
• miserable
• shameful
• substandard
• deficient
• insufficient
• inferior
• mediocre
• punk
• lacking
• contemptible
• worthless
• faulty
• off
• useless
• wanting
• reprehensible
• low-grade
• abominable
• valueless
• odious
• damnable
• bum
• vile
• second-rate
• fiendish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• great
• wonderful
• marvelous
• excellent
• superior
• exceptional
• prime
• adequate
• first-class
• choice
• sufficient
• bitchin'
• premium
• satisfactory
• acceptable
• first-rate

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dismal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dismal are bleak, cheerless, desolate, dreary, and gloomy. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

When is it sensible to use bleak instead of dismal?

Although the words bleak and dismal have much in common, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When could cheerless be used to replace dismal?

In some situations, the words cheerless and dismal are roughly equivalent. However, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

When can desolate be used instead of dismal?

The words desolate and dismal can be used in similar contexts, but desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

In what contexts can dreary take the place of dismal?

The synonyms dreary and dismal are sometimes interchangeable, but dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

When is gloomy a more appropriate choice than dismal?

While the synonyms gloomy and dismal are close in meaning, gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dismal

At Hill Street bar, close to the downtown criminal courthouse where McKinney has built his career, supporters swayed to smooth jazz and Top 40 radio hits, nursing cocktails and betraying no reaction to the dismal early returns. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

The hunters who have done their homework and keep a positive attitude, often after multiple dismal outings, are ultimately the most successful. — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 4 Nov. 2026

Trump announced the idea, his approval rating was at a dismal 35 percent, per a CNN aggregate of various polls. — J. Kim Murphy, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2026

This week, The Wall Street Journal was the latest news outlet to highlight the dismal statistics of reading across the US. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026