dismally

Definition of dismallynext

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 dismally The Sierra Nevada mountains were replenished after seeing a dismally low snowpack to start the year, and snow even temporarily closed Yosemite National Park. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 In this regard, ICE and the federal government have failed dismally. The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismally
Adverb
  • Furyk getting another go at things after already failing miserably signals the PGA has no idea how to even begin trying to turn things around.
    Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • This is about law enforcement who are doing their jobs and a suspect who tried to do something and failed miserably.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • War of the Worlds star Ice Cube now has another reason to stare forlornly at his computer.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
  • One of the most affecting shots shows McCartney glancing forlornly at a seat beside him at the mixing desk.
    Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • In many ways, Donovan’s story is distressingly familiar.
    Megan Molteni, STAT, 7 Apr. 2026
  • In essence, Bright Lights, Big City, instead of being emotionally provoking and riveting, is distressingly gray and tedious, enlivened only by Fox’s gifted histrionics.
    Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • People can be seen running along the top of the bus and sitting on the front bumper as the driver stares glumly ahead from inside windows tagged with graffiti.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the conservative nonprofit American Action Forum, has watched glumly as Republicans have drifted away from their small-government traditions.
    David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • In a chatbot, darkly There are a few ways, some of which are more straightforward than others, to ensure that your personal data doesn’t end up in Google’s AI training set.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Simple, shocking, darkly beautiful imagery and an extreme performance dramatize the psyche of a man deeply disappointed with his childhood, who seeks to recreate it by any means possible.
    William Earl, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Take, for example, Keanu Reeves, who was memeified after a photo of the actor sullenly eating a sandwich went viral.
    Ben Pettis, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Like a fisherman left empty-handed after a heavy pull at her line, the woman sullenly took Sam’s picture.
    Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • Then there is the steady stream of profiles on tech billionaires joylessly devoting themselves to maximizing their lifespan.
    CBS News, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026
Adverb
  • For example, professors Morana Koludrovic and Franceska Delija at the University of Split in Croatia also make the point, more pessimistically, however, that the young can no longer learn from the old, not with all the changes in technology and media.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Look pessimistically, and perhaps the inexperience is too much of a barrier.
    Jake Ciely, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dismally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismally. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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