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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
Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Despite lackluster data, both Hong Kong and Mainland markets managed modest gains today.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The smart glasses have been a bright spot in Meta’s largely lackluster attempts to bet early on disruptive technologies.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
Despite their lackluster numbers in Week 1, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle remain among the most dangerous receiver duos in the league.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lackluster
Cite this Entry
“Lackluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lackluster. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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lackluster
adjective
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