dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort. dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

DISMAL definition: causing gloom or dejection; gloomy; dreary; cheerless; melancholy. See examples of dismal used in a sentence.

Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis, with only about 5 percent of patients still alive five years after diagnosis. And he told us it's been a dismal failure. Scientifically speaking, economics and literature …

Dismal is a dreary, depressing sort of bad. "With the cold rain and their team behind by six field goals, the mood in the stands was so dismal even the cheerleaders had lost their 'Rah.'" Dismal comes …

Define dismal. dismal synonyms, dismal pronunciation, dismal translation, English dictionary definition of dismal. adj. 1. Causing gloom or depression; dreary: dismal weather; took a dismal view of the …

Definition of dismal adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Something that is dismal is bad in a sad or depressing way. My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal. It was a dismal failure.

dismal, n. & adj. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Jan 20, 2026 · Noun dismal (plural dismals) (US, especially North Carolina, possibly dated) A dreary swamp in eastern North Carolina or Virginia in the United States.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025 dis•mal /ˈdɪzməl/ adj. causing gloom or dejection; cheerless: a dismal little office. lacking skill; inept; poorly done: a dismal …