lackluster 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of lacklusternext
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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lackluster

2 of 2

noun

as in grayness

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Dissimilar Words

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 lackluster
Adjective
Meta’s stock plunged 8% Thursday, continuing its historic losing streak after lackluster earnings and revenue projections dimmed investor confidence in CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s AI vision. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 30 July 2026 The job market has bounced back this year from a lackluster 2025, giving consumers the wherewithal to spend. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 But there were positives that came out of the lackluster record, with the offense being the main highlight. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce were among those who expressed excitement about Bieniemy’s return — particularly after the team’s lackluster 6-11 campaign last season. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lackluster
  1. dull
  2. grayness
  3. murky
  4. paleness
  5. dark
  6. colorlessness
  7. somber
  8. murkiness
Adjective
  • While laminate has a protective coating that shields it from damage, using the wrong cleaning products will etch away at this top layer and dull its shine.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026
  • As the years go by, the hair shaft tends to thin out, resulting in strands that are more fragile, dull, and brittle.
    — Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 July 2026
Definition of dull
Noun
  • Shraya seems to find comfort within this grayness, and in the autonomy that comes from shifting the question from who is good and who is bad to who is good for me.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Definition of grayness
Adjective
  • Although firms aren’t supposed to be connected to an insurer or provider, those relationships can be murky.
    — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The deal also gives Asteria access to ZeroGen, ZeroSpace’s generative AI platform that aims to let studios generate content within legal guidelines, helping enterprise customers avoid the legally murky areas of copyright issues.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of murky
Noun
  • Some of the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include fatigue, weakness and paleness.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, paleness, and a rapid heart rate.
    — Peter Pressman, Verywell Health, 9 Dec. 2025
Definition of paleness
Adjective
  • Their traditional decor centers around darker fabrics and pale wall coverings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her doctor advised her to stop clinical hyperpigmentation treatments for her dark spots and uneven skin tone as some ingredients could be unsafe to use while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • 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
Definition of colorlessness
Adjective
  • For the past four decades, July was always a somber month for the McDonalds, a reminder of the moment that changed their family's lives.
    — Ali Bauman, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Less than two months after her historic victory to become Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae stood before a bank of microphones and opposition lawmakers, looking somber.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Definition of somber
Noun
  • The murkiness of the injury bled into free agency and Christensen’s Carolina future remains unsettled, despite the team’s unproven depth options on the line, particularly at guard.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • As Raul grapples with telling the story of Elsa’s life, he’s confronted by the murkiness of borrowing from real people for the purposes of fiction.
    — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 May 2026
Definition of murkiness

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Cite this Entry

“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lackluster. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lackluster

Nglish: Translation of lackluster for Spanish Speakers

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