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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
Chris Branch, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Despite the lackluster season, Rodgers became the fifth player in NFL history to hit the 500-touchdown pass plateau for his career.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025
Some experts have accused the Biden administration of a lackluster bird flu response.
—Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
After a lackluster debate performance in June, Biden eventually decided to end his reelection campaign, and Harris quickly coalesced support as the Democratic nominee.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 3 Jan. 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 20 Jan. 2025.
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lackluster
adjective
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