dismally
gb/dˈɪzməli/ us/dˈɪzməli/
B2
English
nagyon rosszul, pocsékul, siralmasan, kiábrándítóan, csüggedten, szomorúan, komoran, nyomasztóan
B2
1
pocsékul
B2
Usage pattern:
[do/perform/fail] dismally
The new product launched with big expectations but sold dismally.
Az új terméktől sokat vártak, de nagyon rosszul fogyott.
He studied for weeks, yet he still did dismally on the exam.
Hetekig tanult, mégis nagyon rosszul teljesített a vizsgán.
The team played dismally in the second half and lost by three goals.
Learner examples
I did dismally on the test.
Nagyon rosszul teljesítettem a teszten.
The plan failed dismally.
A terv csúfosan megbukott.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it for small problems; it usually means a serious level of failure or poor performance.
Meaning
very badly; unsuccessfully
Collocations
fail dismally
|perform dismally
|do dismally
|go dismally wrong
|sell dismally
|poll dismally
|test dismally
|compare dismally
|respond dismally
|underperform dismally
Synonyms
badly (More general; less emphatic.)
|
terribly (Strong emphasis, but not always connected to disappointment.)
|
abysmally (Even stronger; often used for performance, scores, or results.)
|
poorly (Milder and more neutral.)
Antonyms
well (Indicates successful or good performance.)
|
successfully (Focuses on achieving the intended result.)
|
admirably (Suggests notably good performance.)
Themes
evaluation
|work
|business
|education
Definition
very badly; not successfully at all
In a very unsuccessful or inadequate way; much worse than expected or acceptable.
C1
2
siralmasan
C1
Usage pattern:
dismally + [adjective/adverb]
Voter turnout was dismally low for such an important election.
A választói részvétel siralmasan alacsony volt egy ilyen fontos választáson.
The report was dismally short on evidence.
A jelentés siralmasan kevés bizonyítékot tartalmazott.
Funding for the program remains dismally inadequate.
Learner examples
Sales are dismally low this month.
Az eladások ebben a hónapban siralmasan alacsonyak.
Common mistake:
Don’t use it just to mean "a little" low; it suggests a notably disappointing level.
Meaning
to a disappointingly low degree
Collocations
dismally low
|dismally small
|dismally short
|dismally inadequate
|dismally slow
|dismally weak
|dismally poor
|dismally limited
|dismally underfunded
|dismally unprepared
Synonyms
alarmingly (Adds a sense of concern or danger.)
|
worryingly (Emphasizes concern rather than disappointment.)
|
shockingly (Stronger and more dramatic; implies surprise.)
|
disappointingly (Very close in meaning; less intense.)
Antonyms
impressively (Indicates a surprisingly high or good level.)
|
remarkably (Highlights an unusually notable degree, often positive in context.)
|
satisfyingly (Suggests the level meets expectations.)
Themes
evaluation
|numbers
|business
Definition
extremely low or bad in a disappointing way
To an extremely low or disappointing extent, especially when describing levels, amounts, or quality.
C1
3
csüggedten
B2
szomorúan
A2
Usage pattern:
say/speak/look/smile dismally
She looked at the empty room dismally and wondered what to do next.
Csüggedten nézett az üres szobára, és azon tűnődött, mit tegyen ezután.
‘I don’t think it’s going to work,’ he said dismally.
– Nem hiszem, hogy működni fog – mondta csüggedten.
He smiled dismally, trying to hide how disappointed he felt.
Learner examples
She spoke dismally about the result.
Csüggedten beszélt az eredményről.
Common mistake:
It’s stronger than "sadly" and often suggests gloom or hopelessness, not just mild sadness.
Meaning
sadly; without cheer
Collocations
look dismally
|stare dismally
|smile dismally
|shake one's head dismally
|say dismally
|sigh dismally
Synonyms
sadly (More common and less intense.)
|
gloomily (Emphasizes a dark mood rather than simple sadness.)
|
dejectedly (Highlights disappointment and low spirits.)
Antonyms
cheerfully (Shows happiness or optimism.)
|
brightly (Suggests an upbeat tone or expression.)
|
happily (Indicates positive emotion rather than gloom.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
Definition
in a very sad way
In a sad, discouraged, or depressed way, showing little hope or happiness.
C1
LITERARY
4
komoran
C1
nyomasztóan
C1
Usage pattern:
[sky/rain/room/light] + [verb] dismally
Outside, rain fell dismally against the windows.
Odakint komoran verte az eső az ablakokat.
The corridor was dismally lit and almost empty.
A folyosót komor, gyér fény világította meg, és szinte teljesen üres volt.
The gray sky stretched dismally over the coastline.
Learner examples
The room was dismally dark.
A szoba nyomasztóan sötét volt.
Common mistake:
This use is less common in everyday speech than the performance sense ("failed dismally").
Meaning
in a gloomy, dreary way
Collocations
rain dismally
|the sky hung dismally
|dismally lit
|dismally gray
|dismally quiet
Synonyms
bleakly (Suggests harshness and lack of hope or warmth.)
|
drearily (Emphasizes dullness and monotony.)
|
gloomily (Highlights darkness or sadness in the atmosphere.)
Antonyms
brightly (Suggests light and cheerfulness.)
|
pleasantly (Indicates an agreeable atmosphere.)
|
cheerily (Implies a lively, happy mood.)
Themes
weather
|daily_life
|describing_places
Definition
in a dark and unpleasant way
In a dark, bleak, or dreary way, especially of weather, places, or atmosphere.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dismally
IPA
GB/dˈɪzməli/
US/dˈɪzməli/
Syllables & stress
dis - mally (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (dis)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dismally
- Plural: dismallies
Word family
Forms
dismallies
noun
Core family
dismal
adjective B2
Expressions
dismally inadequate
1/dˈɪzməli ɪnˈædəkwɪt/
fixed phrase
formal
far from enough
much less than what is needed
Examples
- The safety training was dismally inadequate for such a risky job.
- Support for small businesses remains dismally inadequate in rural areas.
- Their explanation was dismally inadequate and raised more questions than it answered.
Learner examples
- The help was dismally inadequate.
dismally low
1/dˈɪzməli lˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
extremely low in a bad way
very low (and this is bad)
Examples
- Public confidence in the system is dismally low.
- Profits were dismally low compared with last year.
- The chances of success looked dismally low.
Learner examples
- Attendance was dismally low.
do dismally
1/dˈu dˈɪzməli/
fixed phrase
do very badly
to get a very bad result
Examples
- I did dismally on my driving test the first time.
- She did dismally in the interview and didn’t get a second round.
- They did dismally at the competition despite weeks of practice.
Learner examples
- He did dismally on the quiz.
fail dismally
1/fˈeɪl dˈɪzməli/
fixed phrase
fail very badly
to fail very badly
Examples
- The proposal failed dismally because no one had checked the costs.
- Several attempts to fix the bug failed dismally.
- The plan failed dismally in practice, despite looking good on paper.
Learner examples
- My first attempt failed dismally.
perform dismally
1/pɚfˈɔɹm dˈɪzməli/
fixed phrase
perform very poorly
to do very badly
Examples
- The company performed dismally in the last quarter.
- Our team performed dismally away from home this season.
- The software performed dismally under heavy traffic.
Learner examples
- The team performed dismally.