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Dismal vs Lackluster - What's the difference?

dismal | lackluster |

As adjectives the difference between dismal and lackluster

is that dismal is disappointingly inadequate while lackluster is lacking brilliance or intelligence.

dismal

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Disappointingly inadequate.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 22, author=Sam Sheringham, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Liverpool 0-1 West Brom , passage=Liverpool's efforts thereafter had an air of desperation as their dismal 2012 league form continued.}}
  • Gloomy and bleak.
  • Depressing.
  • *, chapter=12
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=So, after a spell, he decided to make the best of it and shoved us into the front parlor. 'Twas a dismal sort of place, with hair wreaths, and wax fruit, and tin lambrekins, and land knows what all. It looked like a tomb and smelt pretty nigh as musty and dead-and-gone.}}

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "dismal" is often applied: failure, performance, state, record, place, result, scene, season, year, economy, future, fate, weather, news, condition, history.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * dismal science

    lackluster

    English

    Alternative forms

    * lacklustre

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Lacking brilliance or intelligence
  • Having no shine or lustre; dull
  • Not exceptional; not worthy of special merit, attention, or interest; having no vitality
    • The actor gave a lackluster performance in his latest film.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Anagrams

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