abysmal

The original literal sense of absymal in the 17th century, was ‘very deep’ and people did not start using it to describe something utterly appalling, ‘the pits’, until the beginning of the 20th century.

The word is related to abyss, which is from the Greek abussos ‘bottomless’.

What is the real meaning of abysmal?

immeasurably low or wretched: extremely poor or bad. abysmal ignorance/poverty. abysmal living conditions. an abysmal performance. having immense or fathomless extension downward, backward, or inward.

Synonyms for abysmal: bottomless, boundless, complete, deep, endless, extreme, illimitable, incalculable.

Using abysmal in a sentence:

They were living in abysmal ignorance/poverty.
Abysmal (horrible) living conditions.
The team had an abysmal (awful) record.
Her grades were abysmal. (terrible)

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