dismally

Definition of dismallynext

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 dismally The Sierra Nevada mountains were replenished after seeing a dismally low snowpack to start the year, and snow even temporarily closed Yosemite National Park. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 In this regard, ICE and the federal government have failed dismally. The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismally
Adverb
  • If that were true, record numbers of small owners wouldn’t be staring down foreclosure and bankruptcy due to past rent freezes and years of miniscule rent adjustments that failed miserably to address across-the-board increases in building operating costs and expenses.
    Ann Korchak, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Her strategy failed miserably as lawmakers refused to give in to her demands.
    Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • War of the Worlds star Ice Cube now has another reason to stare forlornly at his computer.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
  • One of the most affecting shots shows McCartney glancing forlornly at a seat beside him at the mixing desk.
    Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • More distressingly, their 11 losses last season didn’t just mark the head coach’s first losing season since his tenure in Kansas City began in 2013.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2026
  • The pipeline of new antibiotics remains distressingly thin, and most drugs currently in development are structurally similar to existing antibiotics, potentially limiting their effectiveness.
    André O. Hudson, The Conversation, 21 Jan. 2026
Adverb
  • Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the conservative nonprofit American Action Forum, has watched glumly as Republicans have drifted away from their small-government traditions.
    David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Some of the strangest relationships of obligation are with our coworkers, something the darkly comedic novel The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge explores in very high stakes.
    James Folta, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes strangely heartbreaking, this immersive storytelling experience is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age; a heart-to-bleeding-heart with madmen, murderers and monsters all dying to tell their story.
    William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • Like a fisherman left empty-handed after a heavy pull at her line, the woman sullenly took Sam’s picture.
    Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Instead, Republican staffers sullenly reported to messaging meetings to talk about immigration.
    Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
  • Then there is the steady stream of profiles on tech billionaires joylessly devoting themselves to maximizing their lifespan.
    CBS News, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026
Adverb
  • For example, professors Morana Koludrovic and Franceska Delija at the University of Split in Croatia also make the point, more pessimistically, however, that the young can no longer learn from the old, not with all the changes in technology and media.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Look pessimistically, and perhaps the inexperience is too much of a barrier.
    Jake Ciely, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dismally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismally. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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