dismal

/'dizməl/

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Explanation of "Dismal"

Definition: "Dismal" is an adjective used to describe something that is very gloomy, depressing, or causing feelings of sadness. It often refers to weather, situations, or places that make people feel down or unhappy.

Advanced Usage:

• "Dismal" can be used in more complex sentences to convey deeper meanings. For example: "The dismal state of the economy led to widespread unemployment and despair among the citizens."

Word Variants:

• Dismally (adverb): This means to do something in a dismal way. For example: "The project was dismally unsuccessful."
• Dismality (noun): This is a less commonly used noun form that refers to the quality of being dismal.

Different Meanings:

While "dismal" primarily relates to gloom and sadness, it can also refer to something that is very poor in quality or performance. For example, "The movie received dismal reviews from critics."

Synonyms:

• Gloomy
• Dreary
• Depressing
• Sad
• Bleak
• Dark

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "In a dismal state": This idiom means to be in a very bad situation. For example: "After the layoffs, the company was in a dismal state."
• "Dismal failure": This phrase is used to describe a complete and very disappointing failure. For example: "The launch of the product was a dismal failure."

Summary:

"Dismal" is a word that helps express feelings of sadness and gloom. It can describe weather, moods, performances, and situations.

Academic

Adjective

1. causing dejection
   • a blue day
   • the dark days of the war
   • a week of rainy depressing weather
   • a disconsolate winter landscape
   • the first dismal dispiriting days of November
   • a dark gloomy day
   • grim rainy weather