Synonyms for Dismal (same or very similar meaning)
WordNet sense 1 (causing dejection):
blue, dark, depressing, dingy, disconsolate, drab, drear, dreary, gloomy, grim, sorry, dispiriting, dingyWordNet sense 2 (lacking cheer; depressing):
cheerless, uncheerfulFrom the ODE community, based on WordNetadd/edit