lackluster

comparative more lackluster · superlative most lackluster · alternative UK lack-lustre · alternative UK lacklustre

1. USLacking brilliance or intelligence.

   Synonyms: simple, thick, addlebrained, addlepated, airheaded, bee-brained, beef-witted, soft

2. USHaving no shine or luster; dull.

   He sat looking at her with lack-lustre eyes. The light suddenly came back into them.

   1885, William Dean Howells, chapter XIX, in The Rise of Silas Lapham

   1 more example

   A faded, and an ancient dragon he was; and 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 gray.

   1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, chapter 3, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844, →OCLC, page 19

   Synonyms: faint, wan, bland, colourless, dim, dingy, dull, faint

3. USfigurativelyNot exceptional; not worthy of special merit, attention, or interest; having no vitality.

   The actor gave a lackluster performance in his latest film.

   4 more examples

   An allegedly true story emerges as a lackluster riff on American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street with a scrappy turn from an overly disguised lead star[.]

   2016 December 30, Jordan Hoffman, “Gold review – the priciest ore is a bore in Matthew McConaughey misfire”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 24 Aug 2019

   It’s fascinating to see a show wrap up in a manner wherein many of the flaws so clearly occur offscreen rather than on; the plague of season eight hasn’t been lackluster episodes, for the most part (though “The Last Of The Starks” was a definite low point).

   2019 May 19, Alex McLevy, “The final Game Of Thrones brings a pensive but simple meditation about stories (newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 22 May 2019

   Pressure on the UK government to commit to concrete measures and not just “lacklustre” verbal condemnation if Israel goes ahead with annexation of parts of the West Bank has been stepped up by a coalition of 14 British charities and human rights groups.

   2020 June 29, Patrick Wintour, “UK criticised for 'lacklustre' response to Israel West Bank plans”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 31 Aug 2020

   Tory MPs said Raab had been “lacklustre”, with one saying his position was “untenable”.

   2021 August 20, Martin Farrer, “Friday briefing: ‘Lacklustre’ Raab under pressure to quit”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2022

   Synonyms: bloodless, tedious, middling, pedestrian, banal, basic, mindless, beat

plural lacklusters · alternative UK lack-lustre · alternative UK lacklustre

1. USuncountableLack of brightness or points of interest.
2. UScountableA person or thing of no particular brilliance or intelligence.