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The word abject emphasizes a very bad situation or quality, thereby making it even worse.
If you abominate something, you hate it because you think it is extremely wrong and unacceptable.
When you ameliorate a bad condition or situation, you make it better in some way.
Something that is apposite is relevant or suitable to what is happening or being discussed.
The adjective blithe indicates that someone does something casually or in a carefree fashion without much concern for the end result; as a result, they are happy and lighthearted.
Someone in a buoyant mood is in good spirits.
If someone is complaisant, they are willing to please others and do what they want without complaining.
A condign reward or punishment is deserved by and appropriate or fitting for the person who receives it.
Decorous appearance or behavior is respectable, polite, and appropriate for a given occasion.
Depravity is behavior that is immoral, corrupt, or evil.
If you deprecate something, you disapprove of it strongly.
If you desecrate something that is considered holy or very special, you deliberately spoil or damage it.
If you say a person’s actions are despicable, you think they are extremely unpleasant or nasty.
If you are despondent, you are extremely unhappy because you are in an unpleasant situation that you do not think will improve.
If you refer to the enormity of a situation, problem, or event, you mean that it is very evil or morally offensive; this word has nothing to do with physical size.
If you extol something or someone, you praise it or them very enthusiastically.
Something gargantuan is extremely large.
A hapless person is unlucky, so much so that a stream of unfortunate things has happened and continues to happen to them.
If someone is impassive, they are not showing any emotion.
When someone is lionized, they are treated as being very important or famous—although they may not deserve to be.
Something or someone that is maleficent deliberately tries to cause harm or evil.
A malevolent person or thing is evil due to deliberate attempts to cause harm.
If you mitigate something that causes harm, you reduce the harmful or painful effects of it.
If you mollify someone, you say or do something to make that person feel less angry or upset.
Someone who is nonchalant is very relaxed and appears not to be worried about anything.
If you describe people or things as odious, you think that they are extremely unpleasant.
If something plummets, it falls down from a high position very quickly; for example, a piano can plummet from a window, and a stock value can plummet during a market crash.
Something that is pristine has not lost any of its original perfection or purity.
Something that is prodigious is very large, impressive, or great.
If something is requisite for a purpose, it is needed, appropriate, or necessary for that specific purpose.
The word squalor describes very dirty and unpleasant conditions that people live or work in, usually due to poverty or neglect.
When you are stultified by something, you lose interest in it because it is dull, boring, or time-consuming.
A stupendous event or accomplishment is amazing, wonderful, or spectacular.
To taint is to give an undesirable quality that damages a person’s reputation or otherwise spoils something.
Something that is unsullied is unstained and clean.
Venerable people command respect because they are old and wise.
If a problem or situation is vexing, it puzzles, worries, or annoys someone.
If someone vitiates something, they make it less effective, weaker, or reduced in quality.
Vitriolic words are bitter, unkind, and mean-spirited.
Adj.
abysmal
uh-BIZ-muhl
Context
Having a miserable bout of the flu on her birthday was an abysmal occurrence for Olivia. Not only did Olivia feel truly ill, but she also felt abysmally and completely sad since she knew her friends were planning a surprise party. Sitting on her couch with a cup of herbal tea and a box of tissues, she considered the deep, dark abyss or deep pit of her foul mood. There seemed no way to brighten her abysmal and extremely poor outlook on this disappointing birthday.
Quiz:Try again!
What is an abysmal play performance?
Abysmal and Dismal Both abysmal and dismal--what could be worse than that?
Examples
America’s abysmal failure in Iraq has brought about the collapse of a stunningly near-sighted movement, a movement which had the arrogance to assert that the Middle East would welcome American-style democracy with open arms.
—
The Economist
In spring training, the Mariners had two catchers trying to bounce back from the worst seasons of their careers, but with the odd juxtaposition that one was brought into replace the other. It was a calculated move by general manager Jerry Dipoto to address the Mariners’ abysmal situation at the position.
—
The Seattle Times
“The alert system failed, period—no ifs, ands or buts,” said Gary Kozel, who lives in the small town of Kenwood, which was devastated by the Nuns Fire. “I’m really hopeful the county will take the report seriously and will take the measures necessary to remedy what was an abysmal situation.”
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Human Rights Watch/Africa—hardly a water carrier for U.S. policy—had recently labeled Khartoum’s human rights record as "abysmal," and reported that "all forms of political opposition remain banned both legally and through systematic terror."
—
The Washington Post
An abysmal mood is so dark and depressing that it seems “without a bottom.”
Word Theater
Scrubs This doctor's explanation of how to recognize a heart murmur was apparently abysmal.
The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!
Word Constellation
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Related Words
abject+ ·
abominate ·
depravity ·
deprecate ·
desecrate ·
despicable ·
despondent ·
enormity ·
gargantuan ·
hapless ·
maleficent ·
malevolent ·
odious ·
plummet ·
prodigious ·
squalor ·
stultify ·
taint ·
vexing ·
vitiate ·
vitriolic ·
ameliorate ·
apposite ·
blithe ·
buoyant ·
complaisant ·
condign ·
decorous ·
extol ·
impassive ·
lionize ·
mitigate ·
mollify ·
nonchalant ·
pristine ·
requisite ·
stupendous+ ·
unsullied ·
venerable ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
abyss
n
→
a seemingly bottomless pit
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.
