Pronunciation: [ɐbˈɪsmə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "abysmal" is spelled as /əˈbɪzməl/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable is pronounced with the schwa sound /ə/ and the second syllable has the short "i" sound /ɪ/. The letter "y" in the middle makes the "ih" sound /ɪ/. The final syllable has the schwa sound /ə/. The word "abysmal" means extremely bad or poor in quality. This spelling can be tricky for some learners, so it's important to practice and memorize it.
The term "abysmal" is an adjective used to describe something that is extremely bad or of very poor quality. It refers to a situation, circumstance, or condition that is utterly appalling, terrible, or miserable. When something is described as abysmal, it signifies that it exhibits qualities or characteristics so severely flawed or unsatisfactory that they reach the lowest possible level or the depths of inadequacy.
Abysmal is often employed to depict a profound sense of disappointment, hopelessness, or despair. It may refer to the dismal performance of an individual, an organization, or even the overall outcome of a particular event or venture. Abysmal could also be assigned to express one's opinion on an especially terrible or dire state of affairs, such as an abysmal failure, abysmal poverty, or an abysmal record.
In a more metaphorical sense, it can connote a feeling of being overwhelmed or consumed by a particular emotion, such as sadness, grief, or fear. For instance, one might describe a deep and abysmal sorrow that permeates their entire being or a terrifying, abysmal darkness that engulfs their surroundings.
Overall, "abysmal" signifies a level of low quality, wretchedness, or despair that is difficult to surpass. It captures the essence of something being incredibly and irredeemably bad, highlighting its profound negative qualities and emphasizing its lack of merit or success.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "abysmal" originates from the Old French term "abisme" or "abismeux", which was derived from the Latin word "abyssus" meaning "bottomless" or "deep". The Latin term, in turn, derives from the Greek word "abyssos" (ἄβυσσος), consisting of "a-" (meaning "without") and "byssos" (meaning "bottom"). Over time, the word "abysmal" came to be used metaphorically, representing something extremely bad, dreadful, or unfathomable, as if to imply that it was as bottomless as an abyss.
