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

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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 outlooks illustrate an ongoing disconnect between the dismal consumer confidence that shows up in monthly surveys and Americans' willingness to keep spending. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 Horror audiences are also notoriously unpredictable, and a dismal CinemaScore doesn’t automatically guarantee an equally dismal theatrical run. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026 Hochul has emphasized Blakeman’s ties to Trump — mirroring much of the Democrats’ national strategy for the midterm elections — hoping the president’s dismal approval ratings help sink her Republican foe at the ballot box. — Sagar Meghani, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 Critical response has been similarly dismal, with Other Mommy holding a 19 percent approval rating from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 46 percent audience score. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dismal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismal

Adjective

Unlike Gregor Samsa who is confined to his room after transforming into a huge insect, the protagonist still has to go to work, a dark and bleak absurdity that lays bare the alienation, isolation, and hypocrisy of modern life.

— Deadline, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Providing a faint ray of hope in this otherwise bleak start to life, the five baby orangutans have been settling into their new surroundings in Odisha at the Nandankanan Zoo.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of bleak

Adjective

The second storyline takes place in 2026 and concerns the murder of none other than Hal Jordan, who returned to Rushville as a social pariah after the terrible events that transpired 10 years before.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
The Eagles are struggling, the Cowboys look terrible, and the Giants don’t have a quarterback.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Connie Britton and Sam Nivola lead the series created by Nick Paley that blends mystery, dark comedy and the awkwardness of adolescence.

— Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

When the modern-day world has nothing to offer us but AI slop, shrinkflation and a sad acceptance that we can't be bothered to do anything about global warming.

— Ian Stokes, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
This island that was so fantastic has become Work Island and that’s sad.

— Joe Lynch, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

There’s a big data center that just came to my community not long ago and their community engagement was horrible, absolutely horrible.

— Dustin DeSoto, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026
After the third day of squirting an experimental drug up his nose, Dylan Meetze felt horrible.

— Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

Some are somber, like the single mom Mekko’s left in the lurch or a fellow journalist who prefers feel-good fluff pieces to muckraking.

— Alison Herman, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
The trailer opens on the somber, grayscale world of London before entering the wild, psychedelic, and magical world of Narnia.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of somber

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“Dismal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismal. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dismal

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