Abysmal — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ə-ˈbiz-məl/ abys·mal

Meaning & Definition of Abysmal

Abysmal (adjective)

  1. immeasurably low or wretched, extremely poor or bad
  2. having immense or fathomless extension downward, backward, or inward
  3. abyssal

Abysmal (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. extremely unsatisfactory

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

    similar: atrocious, awful, dismal, execrable, horrible, lousy, punk, rotten, sucky (slang), terrible, wretched
    related: bad, deficient, inferior, off, poor, substandard, wanting, contemptible, miserable, shameful, defective, faulty, flawed, low-grade, mediocre, reprehensible, second-rate, bum, useless, valueless, worthless, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, abominable, damnable, fiendish, odious, vile
    opposite: bitchin' (slang), great, marvelous, wonderful
    near: choice, excellent, exceptional, first-class, first-rate, premium, prime, superior, adequate, sufficient, acceptable, satisfactory

  2. extending far downward

    "Strange sounds echoed from the abysmal reaches of the cave."

    similar: bottomless, deep, profound
    related: abyssal, unfathomable, boundless, endless, immeasurable, inestimable, infinite, limitless, measureless, unlimited, vast
    opposite: shallow, shoal, skin-deep, superficial, surface
    near: depthless, two-dimensional, even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth, confined, finite, limited, measured, restricted

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abysmal

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abysmal:

Slang: sucky
atrocious, awful, dismal, execrable, horrible, lousy, punk, rotten, terrible, wretched, bottomless, deep, profound

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abysmal

Words with the opposite meaning of Abysmal:

bitchin', great, marvelous, wonderful, shallow, shoal, skin-deep, superficial, surface

Related Words for Abysmal

bad, deficient, inferior, off, poor, substandard, wanting, contemptible, miserable, shameful, defective, faulty, flawed, low-grade, mediocre, reprehensible, second-rate, bum, useless, valueless, worthless, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, abominable, damnable, fiendish, odious, vile, abyssal

Near Antonyms of Abysmal

choice, excellent, exceptional, first-class, first-rate, premium, prime, superior, adequate, sufficient, acceptable, satisfactory, depthless, two-dimensional, even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth, confined, finite, limited, measured, restricted

Word Forms of Abysmal

Derived words: abysmally (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Abysmal

abysm + -al:1

First known use: circa 1656

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Abysmal

Frequently Asked Questions about Abysmal

What does "Abysmal" mean?

"Abysmal" means immeasurably low or wretched, extremely poor or bad. As an adjective, it is defined as: immeasurably low or wretched, extremely poor or bad. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Abysmal"?

Other words for "Abysmal" include atrocious, awful, dismal, execrable, horrible, lousy, punk and rotten. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abysmal" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abysmal"?

There are 54 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abysmal". Common alternatives include atrocious, awful, dismal, execrable, horrible, lousy, punk, rotten, sucky and terrible.

What is the opposite of "Abysmal"?

Antonyms of "Abysmal" include bitchin', great, marvelous, wonderful, shallow, shoal, skin-deep and superficial. Near antonyms include choice, excellent, exceptional and first-class.

How do you use "Abysmal" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abysmal" in a sentence: "The coach apologized for the abysmal performance of the team in the loss."; "Strange sounds echoed from the abysmal reaches of the cave.".

Is "Abysmal" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Abysmal" is an adjective.

Is "Abysmal" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Abysmal" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Abysmal"?

"Abysmal" is pronounced /ə-ˈbiz-məl/ and divided into syllables as abys·mal.