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Lackluster may describe things that are dull, but the word itself is no yawn. In its earliest uses in the early 17th century, lackluster (also spelled lacklustre) usually described eyes that were dull or lacking in brightness, as in “a lackluster stare.” Later, it came to describe other things whose sheen had been removed; Charles Dickens, in his 1844 novel Martin Chuzzlewit, writes of the faded image of the dragon on the sign outside a village alehouse: “many a wintry storm of rain, snow, sleet, and hail, had changed his colour from a gaudy blue to a faint lack-lustre shade of grey.” These days lackluster is broadly used to describe anything blah, from a spiritless sensation to a humdrum hump day.
Examples of lackluster in a Sentence
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
1 July 2026
But his performance in Portugal’s other two matches has been lackluster at best and done little to silence Ronaldo’s many, many critics in the press.
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Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
29 June 2026
The Bank for International Settlements, which advises the world’s central banks, wrote in its annual report that lackluster returns on AI investment from tech giants — which are pouring billions into the sector — could trigger a sudden reduction in financing.
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J.d. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
28 June 2026
The goals erased a lackluster first half that English fans have gotten used to — the team failed to lead going into halftime for each group stage match in this North American 2026 World Cup.
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Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Cite this Entry
“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lackluster. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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lackluster
adjective
