ABYSMAL Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

abysmal

adjective

ə-ˈbiz-məl

Definition of abysmal

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory The coach apologized for the abysmal performance of the team in the loss.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deep

extending far downward Strange sounds echoed from the abysmal reaches of the cave.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 abysmal The gunslinger finished an abysmal 15-of-27 passing for a paltry 192 yards. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026 None of this is to suggest Waddle was anything close to the issue for Denver during an abysmal performance in the opener. — Jesse Newell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Its aimless, contrived, misogynistic, convoluted, messy, overtly long, abysmal, repetative, slow, shallow, and downright awful. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026 The Chiefs helped to make Denver positively abysmal on offense in its first game with coordinator Davis Webb calling the plays. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abysmal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abysmal

Adjective

Platforms prefill a name, email and phone number so a user can submit in one tap without leaving the feed, which is wonderful for a consumer promotion and terrible for a six-figure investment.

— Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Saddled with terrible reviews and negative word-of-mouth, Tom Cruise‘s absurdist dark comedy has cratered at the box office with $8 million in North America and $20 million globally in its first weekend of release.

— Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

Shamet shot three-of-four from deep for 13 points in 16 minutes, and Clarkson scored seven points in nine minutes.

— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
With c, the followup to last year’s UNMUSIQUE, Lucy is now two full-length projects deep for deadAir, sporting a new distribution deal with Atlantic and trying to translate their dreamscapes for bigger crowds.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of deep

Adjective

Hill is a free agent after a horrible injury suffered last season.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Ashley Flynn’s sister, Kayla Keyt, said during her victim statement that her family could not overcome their sense of shock and despair after learning that Flynn betrayed them in such a violent and horrible way.

— Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

But now Oktoberfest is a proving ground for one of the most profound changes sweeping the global drinks industry as more consumers cut alcohol from their lives.

— Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Larger forces, including generational change, the ubiquity of the internet and the strain Americans are experiencing in part due to profound economic transformation are at work.

— James Bisbee, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of profound

Adjective

But Medicare payments are not always as dismal as hospitals suggest.

— Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Those dismal ticket sales were behind earlier projections of $12 million to $15 million and nowhere near the $40 million domestic debut that box office experts suggest a movie of this size would need to justify its price tag.

— Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of dismal

Adjective

After a 10-day wait because of atrocious weather, the crew was able to film the spectacular jump during a 15-minute break in the harsh conditions.

— Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
The alleged conduct of this defendant was way beyond atrocious and horrendous.

— Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of atrocious

Browse Nearby Words

abysm

abysmal

abysmally

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Style

“Abysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abysmal. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of abysmal

adjective

Example Sentences

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