lackluster 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of lacklusternext
as in dulled
not having brightness, brilliance, or vitality a lackluster, dingy Main Street a lackluster performance His writing can be lackluster at times.

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lackluster

2 of 2

noun

as in grayness

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Dissimilar Words

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 lackluster
Adjective
Those struggles – paired with some rather lackluster quarterback play – doomed the Dolphins rather early. — Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 In some cases, though, lackluster weather can actually make the experience better. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026 Beckham, who has had a lackluster camp and preseason, is competing with fellow receivers Isaiah Hodgins, Beaux Collins, Dalen Cambre, Jalin Hyatt, Xavier Gipson and Ryan Miller, as well as roster-bubble players at other positions. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 But in many other major studies, naltrexone had shown lackluster results. — Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lackluster
  1. dull
  2. grayness
  3. murky
  4. paleness
  5. dark
  6. colorlessness
  7. somber
  8. murkiness
Adjective
  • In recent studies by AccuWeather experts, excessive rainfall can contribute to insect and fungus damage in parts of Pennsylvania, which may lead to duller colors and earlier leaf drop.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The city is flooded with dull and uninteresting structures clad in the material.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of dull
Noun
  • Shraya seems to find comfort within this grayness, and in the autonomy that comes from shifting the question from who is good and who is bad to who is good for me.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The region’s oft-sung-about grayness turns neon, swirling together in a piercing hue of evergreen and dark blues.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of grayness
Adjective
  • The presence of Jacory Croskey-Merritt, deep sleeper Kaytron Allen and White may make the Commanders backfield murkier than the Reflecting Pool, but their roles are clearer than most suspect.
    — Brad Evans, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The situation is also murky for those living outside their favorite team’s region.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of murky
Noun
  • Some of the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include fatigue, weakness and paleness.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, paleness, and a rapid heart rate.
    — Peter Pressman, Verywell Health, 9 Dec. 2025
Definition of paleness
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
Noun
  • Rising demand for low-iron, seamless glass In the past few decades, low-iron glass, known for its colorlessness, has become the contemporary symbol of high-end architecture.
    — Aki Ishida, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of colorlessness
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
Noun
  • Because of the legal murkiness, Pratte urges people to talk to an attorney before foregoing registration.
    — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That’s because dishwashers are equipped with something called a turbidity sensor that basically senses the murkiness of the water and adjusts the wash cycle accordingly.
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of murkiness

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Cite this Entry

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

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