causing or expressing gloom or sadness
‘Now if you're ready, Oysters dear, we can begin to feed.’ ‘But not on us!’ the Oysters cried, turning a little blue. ‘After such kindness, that would be a dismal thing to do!’ — Lewis Carroll
informal incompetent
a dismal effort
the dismal science
humorous political economy, so nicknamed by Carlyle
dismally adv
dismalness noun
[Middle English from Anglo-French dismal days marked as unlucky in medieval calendars, from late Latin dies mali evil days]