abysmal

adjective abys·mal \ ə-ˈbiz-məl , a- \

Updated on: 16 Nov 2017

Definition of abysmal

1 a : immeasurably low or wretched : extremely poor or bad

abysmal ignorance/poverty

abysmal living conditions

an abysmal performance

b : having immense or fathomless extension downward, backward, or inward

an abysmal cliff

2 : abyssal 2

—

abysmally

play \-mə-lē\ adverb

- abysmally ignorant
- an abysmally poor performance

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Examples of abysmal in a Sentence

They were living in abysmal ignorance.
a desperate cry echoing from the abysmal reaches of the cave

Recent Examples of abysmal from the Web

Here’s a look at this week’s games and picks: The Bucs looked like world-beaters in their season-opening win against Chicago and have looked abysmal ever since.

— jeff duncan, NOLA.com, "NFL picks vs. spread, Week 7: NFC race is wide open as season nears midway point," 21 Oct. 2017
On worker safety and the environment, when China first ventured abroad, its standards were often abysmal.

— anja manuel, The Atlantic, "China Is Quietly Reshaping the World," 17 Oct. 2017
Tight end Jack Doyle, back from a one-game absence because of a concussion, had an abysmal performance with a fumble and a key third-down drop.

— stephen holder, Indianapolis Star, "Insider: Colts waste their chance against Titans in 36-22 loss on 'Monday Night Football'," 17 Oct. 2017
Inexperience certainly doesn't get the Browns off the hook for this abysmal performance.

— dennis manoloff, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Indians continue to dominate: DMan ranks Games 1-162 (thru 156)," 26 Sep. 2017
But Marine Le Pen crashed during the final debate with Macron: Her performance was abysmal, even in the eyes of her fans.

— isaac chotiner, Slate Magazine, "Macron’s Coup," 13 July 2017
This time, a week after Hogan was abysmal against Houston, Jackson lost faith in Kizer almost as quickly despite a relatively good first half for the rookie.

— bud shaw, cleveland.com, "Hue Jackson could be facing a mid-season bye week reckoning -- Bud Shaw," 22 Oct. 2017
In the past six years, the Russian space program has seen an abysmal 15 rocket failures.

— asif siddiqi, Slate Magazine, "Russia’s Space Program Is Struggling Mightily," 21 Mar. 2017
Instead of filling occupational voids with part-time gigs, major Japanese businesses hire interim workers for abysmal rates.

— matt patches, Esquire, "Brutal Jobs Are Forcing Japanese Men to Live in Internet Cafes," 11 Mar. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abysmal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of abysmal

abysm + ¹-al

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1656

See Words from the same year

abysmal Synonyms

Synonyms

deep, bottomless, profound

Antonyms

shallow, shoal, skin-deep, superficial, surface

Related Words

abyssal, unfathomable; boundless, endless, immeasurable, inestimable, infinite, limitless, measureless, unlimited, vast

Near Antonyms

depthless, two-dimensional; even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth; confined, finite, limited, measured, restricted

ABYSMAL Defined for Kids

abysmal

adjective abys·mal \ ə-ˈbiz-məl \

Definition of abysmal for Students

: extremely bad

an abysmal report card

Learn More about abysmal

See words that rhyme with abysmal Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for abysmal Spanish Central: Translation of abysmal Nglish: Translation of abysmal for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of abysmal for Arabic speakers

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abysmal

Definition of abysmal

abysmally

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Origin and Etymology of abysmal

abysmal Synonyms

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ABYSMAL Defined for Kids

abysmal

Definition of abysmal for Students

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abysmal

Definition of abysmal

abysmally

From the M-W Editors

Examples of abysmal in a Sentence

Recent Examples of abysmal from the Web

Origin and Etymology of abysmal

abysmal Synonyms

Synonyms

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Related Words

Near Antonyms

ABYSMAL Defined for Kids

abysmal

Definition of abysmal for Students

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