Abysmal: meaning, definitions and examples

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abysmal

 

[ ษ™หˆbษชz.mษ™l ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

quality

Extremely bad or severe; dreadful, appalling.

Synonyms

appalling, dreadful, horrendous, terrible.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
abysmal

Used to describe something extremely bad or of very low quality, usually in a serious context or about a disappointing performance.

  • The team's performance this season has been abysmal.
  • The living conditions in the camp are abysmal.
appalling

Often used when something is shockingly bad or causes horror and disgust. It can describe actions, situations, or conditions.

  • The food at that restaurant was appalling.
  • The appalling cruelty to animals shocked everyone.
dreadful

Used to describe something very bad or unpleasant. It can be used in both serious and less serious contexts.

  • He made a dreadful mistake.
  • The weather has been dreadful this week.
terrible

A general term used to describe something very bad or of poor quality. It is the most commonly used among the listed words and can be applied in various contexts.

  • She felt terrible about missing the meeting.
  • The movie was absolutely terrible.
horrendous

Refers to something especially bad or unpleasant, often implying a sense of horror. It is used in serious situations.

  • The accident caused horrendous injuries.
  • The conditions in the prison were horrendous.

Examples of usage

  • The movie received abysmal reviews from critics.
  • The company's financial situation is abysmal.
  • The team's performance was abysmal during the tournament.
Context #2 | Adjective

depth

Extremely deep or profound; bottomless.

Synonyms

bottomless, deep, infinite, profound.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
abysmal

Used to describe something very bad or of extremely low quality, often causing disappointment or frustration.

  • The service at the restaurant was abysmal.
  • Her performance in the exam was abysmal.
profound

Used to describe something of great depth, intensity, or seriousness, often relating to thoughts, feelings, or knowledge.

  • His speech had a profound impact on the audience.
  • She made a profound discovery in her research.
deep

Can refer to physical depth, emotional depth, or complexity in various situations.

  • The lake is very deep.
  • She has deep feelings for him.
  • Let's have a deep discussion about this topic.
bottomless

Used when describing something that seems endless or without limits, often metaphorically. Can also refer to something literally without a bottom, like a pit or hole.

  • He has a bottomless appetite for knowledge.
  • They gazed into the bottomless abyss.
infinite

Used to describe something without any limits or end, such as quantity, space, or time.

  • The universe is considered to be infinite.
  • He had an infinite number of ideas.

Examples of usage

  • The cave was so dark and abysmal that we couldn't see anything.
  • She gazed into the abysmal depths of the ocean.

Translations

Translations of the word "abysmal" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น abismal

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค…เคคเฅเคฏเค‚เคค เค–เคผเคฐเคพเคฌ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช abgrundtief

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ sangat buruk

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะถะฐั…ะปะธะฒะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ okropny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใฒใฉใ„

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท รฉpouvantable

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ abismal

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท berbat

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋”์ฐํ•œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูุธูŠุน

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ straลกnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ straลกnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ็ณŸ็ณ•

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ grozljiv

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ skelfilegur

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›ะพั€า›ั‹ะฝั‹ัˆั‚ั‹

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒแƒจแƒ˜แƒœแƒ”แƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ dษ™hลŸษ™tli

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ abismal

Etymology

The word 'abysmal' originated from the Late Latin word 'abyssimus', which means 'bottomless' or 'very deep'. It entered the English language in the early 17th century. Over time, 'abysmal' has come to be used to describe something extremely bad or profound, reflecting the idea of a bottomless pit or abyss. Its usage has evolved to convey a sense of extreme negativity or depth, making it a powerful adjective in describing the most severe or profound situations.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #27,292, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.