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PlainSpell

lackluster

UK /ˈlæklʌstə/adjective, noun

lackluster is spelled L-A-C-K-L-U-S-T-E-R: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 29,270th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, lackluster means “Lacking brilliance or intelligence” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in lackluster?

Letters10: L-A-C-K-L-U-S-T-E-R
Syllables3 (from its American pronunciation)
In writingabout once in every 1 million words; the 29,270th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is lackluster?

Lackluster appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 29,270th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce lackluster?

  • UK /ˈlæklʌstə/
  • British /ˈlaklʌstə/
  • /ˈlaklʊstə/

Lackluster has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-lackluster.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with lackluster?

No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as lackluster (/æklʌstə/).

Spelled with the same letters in another order: lacklustre.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of lackluster

  • more lackluster comparative
  • most lackluster superlative
  • lack-lustre UK
  • lacklustre UK
  • lacklusters plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does lackluster mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

  1. 1

    USLacking brilliance or intelligence.

  2. 2

    USHaving no shine or luster; dull.

  3. 3

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

    The actor gave a lackluster performance in his latest film.

noun

  1. 1

    USLack of brightness or points of interest.

  2. 2

    USA person or thing of no particular brilliance or intelligence.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Lackluster in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchterne (having no shine or lustre; dull), quelconque (not exceptional; not worthy of special merit…)
Germanmatt, glanzlos, farblos, lustlos (having no shine or lustre; dull), mittelmäßig, langweilig (not exceptional; not worthy of special merit…)
Portuguesedesbotado (having no shine or lustre; dull), mortiço (not exceptional; not worthy of special merit…)
Spanishmate, pálido (having no shine or lustre; dull), mediocre, cansado, aburrido, deslucido (not exceptional; not worthy of special merit…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does lackluster come from?

From lack + luster.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

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