as in dulled
not having brightness, brilliance, or vitality
a lackluster, dingy Main Street a lackluster performance His writing can be lackluster at times.
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as in grayness
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lackluster
George Petras, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Bets on economic resilience have recently fueled gains in companies that tend to benefit from improving growth prospects, the latest data underscored the uneven labor market characterized by limited numbers of overall dismissals and lackluster hiring.
—Rita Nazareth, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Still, despite the lackluster monthly gains, wage growth has remained stable for those who have been able to stay in the labor market.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
The Wolverines opened the door for Michigan State with a lackluster start to the second half, but showed some real fortitude to win this game after giving up the lead.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Adjective
Hiring plans remained lackluster, with 5,306 positions planned to be filled, the lowest total in January since Challenger started tracking the series in 2009, Reuters reported.
—George Petras, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Bets on economic resilience have recently fueled gains in companies that tend to benefit from improving growth prospects, the latest data underscored the uneven labor market characterized by limited numbers of overall dismissals and lackluster hiring.
—Rita Nazareth, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Still, despite the lackluster monthly gains, wage growth has remained stable for those who have been able to stay in the labor market.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
The Wolverines opened the door for Michigan State with a lackluster start to the second half, but showed some real fortitude to win this game after giving up the lead.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lackluster
Noun
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The region’s oft-sung-about grayness turns neon, swirling together in a piercing hue of evergreen and dark blues.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But all work and no play can make for a dull chief medical officer.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
30 Jan. 2026
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People living in Bridgeville were excited to see dull pavement.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Some of the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include fatigue, weakness and paleness.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
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Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, paleness, and a rapid heart rate.—
Peter Pressman,
Verywell Health,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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But in the murky intermediate regime, the full quantum complexity of each electron plays a role, and the problem is classically intractable.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Feb. 2026
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There were a lot of murky secrets in the Victorian world.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rising demand for low-iron, seamless glass In the past few decades, low-iron glass, known for its colorlessness, has become the contemporary symbol of high-end architecture.—
Aki Ishida,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In a world that can feel increasingly dark and divided, this film reminds us all that everyone, everywhere deserves love.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
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Ava Phillippe tapped into the Ralph Lauren aesthetic with rugged dark wash shirt and jeans, pulled together with worn-in brown leather accessories and jacket.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Despite the murkiness of sneckdowns, sanitation workers often end up taking care of them.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
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There’s some murkiness about where the recipe originated; both baking brands White Lily and Martha White claim to have pioneered the beloved bread.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Guthrie's three children also shared a somber and tearful plea that evening, asking for their mother to be returned home after her disappearance, now in its fifth day.—
Helen Rummel,
AZCentral.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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The western Maryland battleground still carries a somber, haunting energy, a reminder of the war’s steep cost.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lackluster. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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