lackluster 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of lacklusternext
as in dulled
not having brightness, brilliance, or vitality a lackluster, dingy Main Street a lackluster performance His writing can be lackluster at times.

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lackluster

2 of 2

noun

as in grayness

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lackluster
Adjective
Her primary opponent, frontrunner Alex Vindman, ran a lackluster campaign and seemed to take victory for granted by sitting on millions of dollars of campaign money. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026 Reckless tariffs and lackluster job growth have triggered an affordability crisis in this country. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026 Primary history The mid-August primaries have a long history of lackluster turnout – with one major exception. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026 Stuart Fails to Save the Universe indeed came up with a fun, clever premise…and then apparently just decided to stop trying there; everything else about the series is totally lackluster. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lackluster
  1. dull
  2. grayness
  3. murky
  4. paleness
  5. dark
  6. colorlessness
  7. somber
  8. murkiness
Adjective
  • Nothing can ruin your day quite like the dull ache of underwire hoisting up your bust.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Underripe corn is rather dull and hard, similar to ears of corn that have been on the plant for too long.
    — Danielle Ernest, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of dull
Noun
  • Shraya seems to find comfort within this grayness, and in the autonomy that comes from shifting the question from who is good and who is bad to who is good for me.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The region’s oft-sung-about grayness turns neon, swirling together in a piercing hue of evergreen and dark blues.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of grayness
Adjective
  • The presence of Jacory Croskey-Merritt, deep sleeper Kaytron Allen and White may make the Commanders backfield murkier than the Reflecting Pool, but their roles are clearer than most suspect.
    — Brad Evans, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The situation is also murky for those living outside their favorite team’s region.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of murky
Noun
  • Some of the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include fatigue, weakness and paleness.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, paleness, and a rapid heart rate.
    — Peter Pressman, Verywell Health, 9 Dec. 2025
Definition of paleness
Adjective
  • The design featured an orange-and-black clown outfit, black gloves and a dark face covering with an exaggerated smiling mouth.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Funky black garlic hides within that mushroom melange, and the pie arrives dotted with a dramatic, dark tamarind sauce.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • Rising demand for low-iron, seamless glass In the past few decades, low-iron glass, known for its colorlessness, has become the contemporary symbol of high-end architecture.
    — Aki Ishida, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of colorlessness
Adjective
  • Bookended by drone shots of the Macedonian countryside and a somber cello refrain by Novogradska, this 86-minute doc is otherwise composed of scoreless interviews with subjects seated in front of black curtains and captured in medium range.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • After that horrible 2011 stab at the scifi superhero with Ryan Reynolds in it, Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) returns in a more somber but certainly enjoyable eight-episode series on HBO.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of somber
Noun
  • Because of the legal murkiness, Pratte urges people to talk to an attorney before foregoing registration.
    — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That’s because dishwashers are equipped with something called a turbidity sensor that basically senses the murkiness of the water and adjusts the wash cycle accordingly.
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of murkiness

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lackluster
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Cite this Entry

“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lackluster. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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