dismal
dismal — adjective
1. If a place, situation, or period of time is dismal, it makes you feel very sad b
If a place, situation, or period of time is dismal, it makes you feel very sad because there seems to be little reason for hope or cheerfulness.
Soraya stared out at the dismal grey sky and pulled her coat tighter.
collocation: dismal + weather noun (sky, day, weather)
The abandoned school looked dismal and forgotten behind the rusted gate.
After weeks of rain, the entire village wore a dismal, grey appearance.
Christopher described the dismal living conditions in the overcrowded shelter.
Defne felt a dismal sense of loneliness as the train pulled away.
- gloomy
very similar but slightly less intense; more about darkness than hopelessness
- bleak
focuses more on an unpromising future or harsh conditions than on current feelings
- dreary
emphasises boredom, dullness, and monotony rather than deep sadness
- somber
suggests a serious, solemn mood rather than hopelessness; often used for tone of voice or atmosphere
文法句型
dismal + noun
be/look/feel + dismal
用法筆記
Frequently describes weather, places, or emotional states. This sense is stronger than 'sad' — it suggests a deep, oppressive gloom with little sense of hope. Also common in fixed phrases like 'a dismal failure' (though that leans toward sense 2).
常見錯誤
2. Extremely poor in quality, standard, or result; falling far below what is accept
Extremely poor in quality, standard, or result; falling far below what is acceptable or expected.
The team gave a dismal performance, losing by more than forty points.
collocation: dismal + performance noun
Théo's exam results were so dismal that his tutor suggested extra lessons.
Sales figures for the new smartphone were dismal in the first quarter.
The hotel received dismal reviews after guests complained about the noise.
Daichi called the company's safety record dismal and demanded changes.
- terrible
more common and less formal; covers a wider range of negative situations
- awful
very common in everyday speech; similar strength but less literary
- pathetic
stronger and more judgmental; suggests contempt for poor effort
- lamentable
more formal and old-fashioned; suggests something regrettable
- excellent
the direct opposite in terms of quality and standard
- outstanding
far above average, the positive extreme
文法句型
dismal + noun
be + dismal
用法筆記
Commonly describes performance, results, quality, or scores. This sense is informal in some contexts but acceptable in most writing. It is stronger and slightly more dramatic than 'very bad' or 'terrible'.