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

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

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 sad and depressing, especially in appearance. The main part of the hospital is pretty dismal but the children's ward is really lively.

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 …

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 …

Characterized by ineptitude, dullness, or a lack of merit. A dismal book; a dismal performance on the cello.

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 …