dismally
gb/dˈɪzməli/ us/dˈɪzməli/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B2
property
1
very badly; unsuccessfully
very badly; not successfully at all
Usage pattern:
[do/perform/fail] dismally
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it for small problems; it usually means a serious level of failure or poor performance.
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.)
Collocations
fail dismally
|perform dismally
|do dismally
|go dismally wrong
|sell dismally
|poll dismally
|test dismally
|compare dismally
|respond dismally
|underperform dismally
Themes
evaluation
|work
|business
|education
Examples
- The new product launched with big expectations but sold dismally.
- He studied for weeks, yet he still did dismally on the exam.
- The team played dismally in the second half and lost by three goals.
Learner examples
- I did dismally on the test.
- The plan failed dismally.
adverb
C1
quantity
2
to a disappointingly low degree
extremely low or bad in a disappointing way
Usage pattern:
dismally + [adjective/adverb]
Common mistake:
Don’t use it just to mean "a little" low; it suggests a notably disappointing level.
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.)
Collocations
dismally low
|dismally small
|dismally short
|dismally inadequate
|dismally slow
|dismally weak
|dismally poor
|dismally limited
|dismally underfunded
|dismally unprepared
Themes
evaluation
|numbers
|business
Examples
- Voter turnout was dismally low for such an important election.
- The report was dismally short on evidence.
- Funding for the program remains dismally inadequate.
Learner examples
- Sales are dismally low this month.
adverb
C1
state
3
sadly; without cheer
in a very sad way
Usage pattern:
say/speak/look/smile dismally
Common mistake:
It’s stronger than "sadly" and often suggests gloom or hopelessness, not just mild sadness.
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.)
Collocations
look dismally
|stare dismally
|smile dismally
|shake one's head dismally
|say dismally
|sigh dismally
Themes
emotions
|communication
Examples
- She looked at the empty room dismally and wondered what to do next.
- ‘I don’t think it’s going to work,’ he said dismally.
- He smiled dismally, trying to hide how disappointed he felt.
Learner examples
- She spoke dismally about the result.
adverb
literary
C1
property
4
in a gloomy, dreary way
in a dark and unpleasant way
Usage pattern:
[sky/rain/room/light] + [verb] dismally
Common mistake:
This use is less common in everyday speech than the performance sense ("failed dismally").
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.)
Collocations
rain dismally
|the sky hung dismally
|dismally lit
|dismally gray
|dismally quiet
Themes
weather
|daily_life
|describing_places
Examples
- Outside, rain fell dismally against the windows.
- The corridor was dismally lit and almost empty.
- The gray sky stretched dismally over the coastline.
Learner examples
- The room was dismally dark.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.