Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - dismal

 adjective  Etymology: Middle English, from ~, noun, days marked as unlucky in medieval calendars, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin dies mali, literally, evil days  Date: 15th century  1. obsolete disastrous, dreadful  2. showing or causing gloom or depression  3. lacking merit ; particularly bad a ~ performance  • ~ly adverb  • ~ness noun Synonyms:  ~, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort. ~ indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess ~ weather. dreary often interchangeable with ~, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility a dreary job. bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten the bleak years of the depression. gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise gloomy war news. cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering a drab and cheerless office. desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect a desolate outpost.