dismal

dismal — 形容詞

1. If a place, situation, or period of time is dismal, it makes you feel very sad b

1.形容詞B2
釋義

陰鬱的

形容環境或氣氛令人沮喪絕望

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.

例句

Soraya stared out at the dismal grey sky and pulled her coat tighter.

Soraya 望著窗外陰沉的天空，把外套拉得更緊。

collocation: dismal + weather noun (sky, day, weather)

The abandoned school looked dismal and forgotten behind the rusted gate.

那所廢棄的學校在生鏽的大門後顯得淒涼而被遺忘。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • cheerful

    the opposite of a gloomy, hopeless atmosphere

  • bright

    suggests hope, light, and positivity in both weather and mood

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

❌I felt dismal when I lost my keys.
✅I felt annoyed when I lost my keys.
💡'dismal' describes a deep, lasting gloom, not a minor everyday frustration.

2. Extremely poor in quality, standard, or result; falling far below what is accept

2.形容詞B2
釋義

極差的

形容品質或表現極度糟糕

Extremely poor in quality, standard, or result; falling far below what is acceptable or expected.

例句

The team gave a dismal performance, losing by more than forty points.

該隊表現極差，輸了超過四十分。

collocation: dismal + performance noun

Théo's exam results were so dismal that his tutor suggested extra lessons.

Théo 的考試成績非常糟糕，他的家教建議他加課。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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'.

常見錯誤

❌The food at the restaurant was dismal.
✅The food at the restaurant was terrible.
💡'dismal' is unusual for describing food; use 'terrible' or 'awful' instead.
❌I had a dismal headache.
✅I had a terrible headache.
💡'dismal' is not used for physical sensations or pain.