dismal

English

Etymology

From Latin diēs (“day”) and malus (“bad”) — literally "bad day".

Pronunciation

• IPA: [ˈdɪzməɫ]

Adjective

dismal (comparative more dismal, superlative most dismal)

1. Disappointingly inadequate.

   He received a dismal compensation

   • 2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, BBC Sport:

     Liverpool's efforts thereafter had an air of desperation as their dismal 2012 league form continued.

2. Gloomy and bleak.

   The storm made for a dismal weekend

3. Depressing.

   She was lost in dismal thoughts of despair

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "dismal" is often applied: failure, performance, state, record, place, result, scene, season, year, economy, future, fate, weather, news, condition, history.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:cheerless

Derived terms

• dismal science

Translations

disappointingly inadequate

• Hungarian: elszomorító (hu), sikertelen (hu)
• Portuguese: inadequado (pt) m

• Romanian: dezamagitor de inadecvat (ro)

gloomy and bleak

• Bulgarian: мрачен (bg) (mračen), неприветлив (bg) (neprivetliv)
• Finnish: synkkä (fi), surullinen (fi)
• French: morne (fr) m and f, lugubre (fr) m and f

• Hungarian: szomorú (hu), sötét (hu), bús (hu)
• Norwegian: stusslig (no)
• Portuguese: sombrio (pt)

depressing

• Bulgarian: тъжен (bg) (tǎžen), унил (bg) (unil)
• Finnish: surullinen (fi)
• French: déprimant (fr)
• Hebrew: מדכא (he) (Medakke) m

• Hungarian: szomorú (hu), lehangoló (hu), gyászos (hu), komor (hu), vigasztalan (hu)
• Romanian: deprimant (ro)
• Scottish Gaelic: brònach (gd)