Word a Day
dismal
What does dismal mean?
dismal (adjective): depressing, dreary, cheerless.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you pronounce dismal?
/ˈdɪzməl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does dismal come from?
From Middle English dismal, dismale, from Anglo-Norman dismal, from Old French (li) dis mals (“(the) bad days”), from Medieval Latin diēs malī (“bad days”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What are synonyms of dismal?
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “dismal”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “dismal” mean?
ruling; governing; prevailing
Not quite: that's what dominant means.
depressing, dreary, cheerless
Right! That's what “dismal” means.
having no personal preference
Not quite: that's what neutral means.
characteristic of the present
Not quite: that's what contemporary means.
Which word is closest in meaning to “dismal”?
strong
Not quite: strong means something else.
entire
Not quite: entire means something else.
public
Not quite: public means something else.
dreary
Right!
Learn a word like “dismal” every day
Word a Day for iPhone quizzes you on a few new words a day and brings each one back for review at growing intervals. Free, no account, no ads.
Coming soon to the App Store