abysmal

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "abysmal" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that is extremely bad, disappointing, shocking, or terrible. For example, "The team was devastated when they received the results of their last exam; the scores were abysmal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Speaking to CNN, he argued that Clinton's claims to fight for women's equality were undermined by the acceptance of donations by the Clinton Foundation from authoritarian regimes in the Middle East with "abysmal human rights records".

The Guardian

Despite having the biggest DNA database in the world, the proportion of reported rapes that result in a conviction on the charge of rape in Britain is an abysmal 6.5%.

The Guardian - Opinion

The Commons public accounts committee said HMRC had "an abysmal record", but welcomed moves to introduce a call-back system and dispense with costly 0845 numbers.

The Guardian

From 4 March to the end of the season on 20 May, the team would be involved in 22 matches in 78 days (an average of one every 3.5 days or so), with Malpas, Narey, McInally and Sturrock also featuring in Scotland's abysmal 4-1 defeat in Belgium during their equally disastrous Euro 88 qualifying campaign.

The Guardian - Sport

This time every year, without fail, the temperature rises, the evenings lengthen and the UK Eurovision organisers force some poor unknown gonk to shriek out an abysmal mess of a career-ending almost-song to universal disdain.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Torture is systemic in the criminal justice system, millions of Uzbeks are forced to harvest cotton in abysmal conditions each fall and thousands remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges," he said.

The Guardian

They've been abysmal.

The Guardian - Sport

"A catastrophe, truly abysmal.

The Guardian - Sport

Once American men stop being so abysmal at real football, we may look forward to a bright future of somewhat less brain-damaged athletes.

The Economist

According to statistics unearthed by the Guardian before England's abysmal showing at last summer's World Cup, the country has 2,679 coaches who hold either the 'A', 'B', or 'Pro' coaching licenses recognized by Europe's governing body, UEFA.

The Economist

In a sense, the legal bullying by trolls is a symptom of a wider complaint: the abysmal quality of many of the patents circulating today especially those covering computer software and business transactions (themselves often based on software algorithms).

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "abysmal" to describe situations or performances that are exceptionally poor or of a shockingly low standard. This word is effective when you want to convey a strong sense of disappointment or disapproval.

Common error

While "abysmal" effectively conveys extreme poorness, reserve it for situations that truly warrant such strong language. Overusing it in casual conversation can dilute its impact and make your speech sound hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The word "abysmal" primarily functions as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something as extremely bad, of very low quality, or shockingly poor. Ludwig confirms this usage through numerous examples from diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

22%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "abysmal" is an adjective used to describe something exceptionally poor or of a shockingly low standard. Ludwig's AI confirms its grammatical correctness and provides numerous examples demonstrating its usage in formal contexts, particularly in news and media, formal business, and science-related articles. Its synonyms include "terrible", "dreadful", and "atrocious", though "abysmal" often carries a stronger connotation of disappointment or disapproval. When using "abysmal", reserve it for situations that genuinely warrant such a strong expression of negativity to maintain its impact and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terrible

Implies a very bad or unpleasant quality, similar to "abysmal" but slightly less formal.

dreadful

Suggests something extremely unpleasant or shocking, akin to "abysmal" in conveying severity.

atrocious

Indicates something shockingly bad or of very poor quality, similar in intensity to "abysmal".

awful

Conveys a sense of something very unpleasant or of poor quality, a common synonym for "abysmal".

lamentable

Describes something regrettable or unfortunate, similar to "abysmal" when used to describe poor performance.

deplorable

Indicates something shockingly bad and deserving strong condemnation, similar to "abysmal" in its negative connotation.

woeful

Expresses deep sorrow or regret, similar to "abysmal" when describing a state of affairs.

appalling

Causes shock or disgust, similar to "abysmal" in conveying a negative and intense reaction.

execrable

Extremely bad or unpleasant, closely aligned with the meaning of "abysmal".

substandard

Falling below the required or expected standard, a more formal way to express the idea of something being "abysmal".

FAQs

How can I use "abysmal" in a sentence?

You can use "abysmal" to describe something exceptionally bad. For example, "The team's performance was "abysmal" this season", or "The living conditions were "abysmal"".

What words are similar to "abysmal"?

Synonyms for "abysmal" include "terrible", "dreadful", "atrocious", and "awful". These words also describe something exceptionally bad or unpleasant.

Is it appropriate to use "abysmal" in formal writing?

Yes, "abysmal" is appropriate for formal writing when you need to express that something is extremely poor or inadequate. Its use adds emphasis to the negative quality being described.

What is the difference between "abysmal" and "bad"?

"Abysmal" is a stronger word than "bad". While "bad" indicates something is not good, "abysmal" conveys that something is exceptionally poor or of a shockingly low standard. It is used to emphasize the severity of the situation.