dismal

adjective

dis·​mal ˈdiz-məl 

1

: showing or causing gloom (see gloom entry 2 sense 2) or depression

… the dismal prison twilight …

—Charles Dickens

2

: lacking merit : particularly bad

a dismal performance

3

obsolete : disastrous, dreadful

dismally

ˈdiz-mə-lē 

adverb

dismalness noun

Did you know?

The Evil History of Dismal

In late antiquity, certain days each month, called “Egyptian days,” were regarded as inauspicious, probably as a relic of ancient Egyptian belief. By the Middle Ages, people took them to be anniversaries of the Biblical plagues in Egypt. There were 24 such days per year, and in Anglo-French they were called collectively dismal (from Latin dies mali, “evil days”), and this word was borrowed into Middle English. In time the “evil days” sense was forgotten and dismal was simply taken to mean “disastrous.” The noun dismal, meaning “swamp,” goes back to the 1700s when the marshy region in Virginia and North Carolina was named the Great Dismal Swamp.

Synonyms of dismal

• bleak
• depressing
• dark
• somber
• depressive
• lonely
• desolate
• darkening
• murky
• solemn
• miserable
• cold

Choose the Right Synonym for dismal

dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort.

dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

Examples of dismal in a Sentence

The show was a dismal failure.

The team's record is dismal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Retail sales jumped in August, rebounding after a dismal July and showing that Americans are still opening their wallets even as inflation cuts into their budgets. — Rachel Lerman, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2026

Texas lost on the road to Ohio State early in the season, sure, but also lost to a dismal 4-8 Florida team, were blown out by the Georgia Bulldogs, and struggled to close overtime wins against bad Kentucky and Mississippi State teams. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Over the 28 years since its release, the original Practical Magic, despite its dismal reviews and middling box-office reception, has accrued a sentimental affection from fans. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

The hiring of John Harbaugh as coach of the New York Giants has fueled hope that the franchise can experience a rapid turnaround after the 14 dismal seasons that have followed their most recent Super Bowl title. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from dismal, noun, days marked as unlucky in medieval calendars, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin dies mali, literally, evil days

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for dismal

• abysmal
• baptismal
• aneurysmal
• paroxysmal

Kids Definition

dismal

adjective

dis·​mal ˈdiz-məl 

1

: very gloomy and depressing : dreary

dismal weather

2

: lacking in merit : particularly bad

a dismal performance

dismally

-mə-lē 

adverb

Etymology

Middle English dismal "days marked on a calendar as unlucky," from early French (same meaning), from Latin dies mali, "evil days"

Word Origin

At the time of the Roman Empire, certain days of each month, called "Egyptian days," were regarded as inauspicious. These days of ill omen were probably a relic of ancient Egyptian belief, but their source had been forgotten by the Middle Ages. People then took them to be anniversaries of the plagues visited on Egypt in Moses' time—though there were 24 Egyptian days in the year and only ten biblical plagues. In medieval French the Egyptian days were called collectively dismal (from Latin dies mali, "evil days"), and this word was borrowed into Middle English. Any day of the 24 was a dismal day, but the original sense "evil days" was forgotten, and dismal was simply taken as an adjective meaning "disastrous."