DISMAL Synonyms: 206 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'dismal' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dismal are bleak , cheerless , desolate , dreary , and gloomy . While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess. // dismal weather

Q: When is it sensible to use 'bleak' instead of 'dismal'?

Although the words bleak and dismal have much in common, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten. // the bleak years of the depression

Q: When could 'cheerless' be used to replace 'dismal'?

In some situations, the words cheerless and dismal are roughly equivalent. However, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering. // a drab and cheerless office

Q: When can 'desolate' be used instead of 'dismal'?

The words desolate and dismal can be used in similar contexts, but desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect. // a desolate outpost

Q: In what contexts can 'dreary' take the place of 'dismal'?

The synonyms dreary and dismal are sometimes interchangeable, but dreary , often interchangeable with dismal , emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility. // a dreary job

Q: When is 'gloomy' a more appropriate choice than 'dismal'?

While the synonyms gloomy and dismal are close in meaning, gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise. // gloomy war news

dismal

adjective

ˈdiz-məl

Definition of dismal

as in bleak

causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer a suitably dismal setting for a haunted house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in depressing

causing unhappiness the dismal failure of our hopes for the championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory the quarterback's dismal performance suggested that he had not fully recovered from his recent injury

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dismal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dismal are bleak, cheerless, desolate, dreary, and gloomy. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

When is it sensible to use bleak instead of dismal?

Although the words bleak and dismal have much in common, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When could cheerless be used to replace dismal?

In some situations, the words cheerless and dismal are roughly equivalent. However, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

When can desolate be used instead of dismal?

The words desolate and dismal can be used in similar contexts, but desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

In what contexts can dreary take the place of dismal?

The synonyms dreary and dismal are sometimes interchangeable, but dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

When is gloomy a more appropriate choice than dismal?

While the synonyms gloomy and dismal are close in meaning, gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dismal The latest executive orders come as the president has faced dismal approval ratings in recent weeks, and the war in Iran has driven up energy prices. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Aug. 2026 Over the winter, the state’s snowpack topped out at a dismal, historic low. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026 There, only 70 percent of departures leave on time, and a dismal 68 percent arrive on schedule. — Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026 And his batting run value (which measures how many runs a hitter adds or loses for their team) is a whopping (or dismal) -14. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dismal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismal

Adjective

Although the news may be bleak for the dinner's thousands of supporters, the committee also shared a glimmer of hope.

— Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Aug. 2026
In many ways, her life feels like a bleak look at the false promise of placing all of your need for validation in your husband.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of bleak

Adjective

But even without it, there seems to be some truth to the idea that if these teams were terrible businesses, they wouldn’t be sold for billions of dollars.

— Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Not by tightening the siege on Iran directly, but by tightening the siege on those who help this regime, this terrible dictatorship.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

On top of the moving-camera-foamy-dark-mouth challenge, there was the plaque challenge.

— Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
Finley’s breakout was the 2017 dark comedy Thoroughbreds, in which Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy play high-schoolers conspiring to kill an abusive stepfather.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

That might also explain the movie’s attempts to supercharge its few action sequences, as if the filmmakers realized belatedly that a sad book without much incident wasn’t exactly prime summer studio release fodder.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Obviously, a really sad story and hard to listen to at times.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

Davis was much more somber, and his attorney, Wayne Higgins, is heard frequently admonishing his client for volunteering unnecessary information.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Bookended by drone shots of the Macedonian countryside and a somber cello refrain by Novogradska, this 86-minute doc is otherwise composed of scoreless interviews with subjects seated in front of black curtains and captured in medium range.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of somber

Browse Nearby Words

disloyalty

dismal

dismally

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dismal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismal. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dismal

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes