Word
dismal
Phoneticsdis·mal, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɪzməɫ/
UK/dˈɪzməl/
Definition
adj. very bad, sad, or without hope. You use it to describe things like terrible weather, a poor performance, or a gloomy mood.
adj. characterised by gloom, misery, or a lack of hope; showing or causing a lack of cheerfulness. Often used to describe poor quality or disappointing results in a professional or academic context.
Examples
“The team's performance was dismal.”
“The weather remained dismal for the entire week, with grey clouds and constant rain ruining our holiday plans.”
“Despite the high expectations surrounding the product launch, the initial sales figures were dismal, forcing the board to reconsider their entire marketing strategy for the next quarter.”
Examples
simple
“The team's performance was dismal.”
contextual
“The weather remained dismal for the entire week, with grey clouds and constant rain ruining our holiday plans.”
complex
“Despite the high expectations surrounding the product launch, the initial sales figures were dismal, forcing the board to reconsider their entire marketing strategy for the next quarter.”
Usage
Often used to modify nouns like 'failure', 'weather', 'performance', or 'prospects'.
Real-World Examples
“On a dismal night at Hampden when Scotland failed to ask enough questions of Slovenia, there are one or two that could be posed to new boss Sebastien Pocognoli and his players.” Etymology
From Middle English dismal, dismale, from Anglo-Norman dismal, from Old French (li) dis mals (“(the) bad days”), from Medieval Latin diēs malī (“bad days”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. dismal science
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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