abysmal
adjective
abys·mal
ə-ˈbiz-məl 
a-
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
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 on the Web
The starters kept their lead steady, running in transition and limiting the Grizzlies to abysmal shooting from behind the arc.
—
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
The luxury starkly contrasted with the abysmal conditions in the perilously unsafe mines.
—James Dziezynski, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2024
They were slated to face three left-handed starting pitchers over seven days, and their abysmal season-long production against left-handers underscored the need for a right-handed bat.
—Katie Woo, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
The mid-sized luxury sedan matches its rivals from Audi, BWW and Mercedes-Benz, but its brand recognition is abysmal and its annual sales are low.
—James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for abysmal 
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.
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
The luxury starkly contrasted with the abysmal conditions in the perilously unsafe mines.
—James Dziezynski, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2024
They were slated to face three left-handed starting pitchers over seven days, and their abysmal season-long production against left-handers underscored the need for a right-handed bat.
—Katie Woo, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
The mid-sized luxury sedan matches its rivals from Audi, BWW and Mercedes-Benz, but its brand recognition is abysmal and its annual sales are low.
—James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for abysmal
Dictionary Entries Near abysmal
Cite this Entry
“Abysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abysmal. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
abysmal
adjective
abys·mal
ə-ˈbiz-məl
1
a
: extremely poor or bad
abysmal living conditions
b
: having an immense extension downward, backward, or inward
2
: abyssal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share