English vocabulary · B2
Abysmal
/əˈbɪz.məl/ · adj.
It means extremely bad — so bad it feels like falling into a deep, dark hole with no bottom.
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Example sentences
- The team's abysmal start cost them the season.
- Her abysmal score left the judges speechless.
Word origin and roots
from Greek
- abyss — bottomless depth (from Greek)
Synonyms and nuances
- TERRIBLE — very bad (Strong & Common)
- DREADFUL — causing dread or fear (Emotional & Vivid)
- AWFUL — extremely unpleasant (Casual & Everyday)
Words with the same root
abyss — bottomless depth
- abyss — a very deep hole with no bottom
Lesson notes
Abysmal. It means extremely bad — so bad it feels like falling into a deep, dark hole with no bottom.
Similar words are terrible, dreadful, and awful. Use abysmal when something is so bad it shocks you.
The team's abysmal start cost them the season. Her abysmal score left the judges speechless.
From Greek. Abyss- means bottomless depth. So deep it has no bottom — that is abysmal.