From abysm +‎ -al. Compare abyssal.

• IPA^(key): /əˈbɪz.məl/, [əˈbɪz.ml̩]

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• Hyphenation: a‧bys‧mal
• Rhymes: -ɪzməl

abysmal (comparative more abysmal, superlative most abysmal)

1. (now rare) Pertaining to, or resembling an abyss. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]^[1]

   Synonyms: unending, profound, fathomless, immeasurable

   • 1851, Thomas Carlyle, The Life of John Sterling, London: Chapman and Hall,[…], →OCLC:

     The latter [geology] gives one the same sort of bewildering view of the abysmal extent of Time that Astronomy does of Space. [First attested in the early 19^th century.]^[1]

2. (figurative) Extremely bad; terrible.

   Synonyms: dreadful, atrocious, awful, appalling

   Antonyms: excellent, wonderful, superb

   • 2012 June 9, Owen Phillips, “Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Robben curled an effort against the foot of the post from the edge of the box after being gifted the ball by an abysmal clearance from keeper Stephan Andersen.

• abyssal

• “abysmal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “abysmal”, in The Century Dictionary[…], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

• balsamy

abysmal m or f (plural abysmaes)

1. pre-reform spelling (used until 1943 in Brazil and 1911 in Portugal) of abismal