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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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
PepsiCo reported better-than-expected revenue in the third quarter despite lackluster North American demand. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 Ted Lasso originally concluded with its third season in 2023 — there was a lackluster but still touching at times series finale and everything. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026 Sales suffered as a result, as well as for a variety of other reasons, including higher prices, longer waits for pickup orders and lackluster food options. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 The Game credits the genre’s lackluster showing lately to a modern disconnect from the generation of rap he was raised in where titans sparred in collaboration and juicy remixes ruled. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 5 Oct. 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
  • Many of the strongest initial applications are the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that go unfilled, contribute to injuries, and pull people away from higher-value judgment and exception handling.
    — Navin Chaddha, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But in the years between Logic1000’s in-your-face debut EP and 2024’s duller, more careful Mother, her solo work became less singular.
    — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dull
Noun
  • In the grayness that should have been sunrise that morning, dark clouds sagged baggily over the very treetops, bulging as if ready to split under their liquid weight.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The pallid grayness of Mike Eley’s cinematography is probably supposed to mimic the finality of HIV/AIDS taking hold, but there’s no passion aesthetically to counterbalance what becomes absolute misery onscreen to watch.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of grayness
Adjective
  • Destructive storms like Hurricane Milton in 2024, which made landfall on Florida’s west coast at Siesta Key, can destroy traps, make the water murky and otherwise cause complications for fishermen.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The evidence is murkier than the common talking point suggests.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 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
  • Nordic drama is still often associated internationally with crime, darker tones and a certain visual restraint.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Campaign images show close-fitting cycling jerseys paired with dark shorts, with prints ranging from yellow-green graphics to blue-and-white patterns.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 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
  • 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
Noun
  • But the murkiness doesn’t last long in a production that achieves an admirable balance between objectivity and emotion, abstraction and representation.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Because of the legal murkiness, Pratte urges people to talk to an attorney before foregoing registration.
    — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 17 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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