Infinitive complement

• say: The Ecology report outlined in the document for Stansted is dismal to say the least.

Modifies a noun

• showing: After the dismal showing against Norway, will the Scots still qualify for Euro 2004?

• failure: Hardly a dismal failure, would you not agree?

• defeat: The month ended on a low, with chairman Simon Jordan offering away fans their money back after a dismal defeat at Preston.

• prospect: The boys were left with the dismal prospect of their race coming down the course with St Edward's duly taking Bronze.

• weather: Blocks in the wrong place, however, can lead to days of dismal gray weather with nothing much of interest going on!

• performance: The dismal performance of the stock market is bad news for pension funds.

Modifying Another Word

• pretty: The weather here was pretty dismal - the photos are not fit for display!

• rather: Needless to say the reaction to most of the material played from this album is rather dismal.

• equally: However, a quiz on history or geography would yield equally dismal results among the general population.

• fairly: And he will not have seen a great deal to worry him in what was fairly dismal spectacle.

• truly: The last six or seven weeks have been truly dismal.

• so: I had intended paying into our joint mortgage, as the value of stocks and shares is so dismal.

Used with adjective complement

• remain: AB - The prognosis of patients with HCC remains dismal.

• seem: I would appreciate any replies or advice as things seem very dismal at this time.