Dictionary

dismally en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdɪz.mə.li/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree English dismal Middle English -ly English -ly English dismally From dismal + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a dismal manner.
   • Outside an owl was hooting most dismally in the darkness. 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
   • Boris Johnson's speech to the nation on Sunday May 10 was rambly, incoherent, and he failed dismally in his attempt to sound Churchillian. 2020 May 20, Christian Wolmar, “Clarity is required on social distancing and the railways”, in Rail, page 50:
   • The ribs of the few horses showed dismally. 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 291:

Forms