Maids somehow left gloomy (6)
I believe the answer is:
dismal
'gloomy' is the definition.
('dismal' can be a synonym of 'gloomy')
'maids somehow left' is the wordplay.
'somehow' indicates an anagram.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'maids' anagrammed gives 'disma'.
'disma'+'l'='DISMAL'
(Other definitions for dismal that I've seen before include "Dull and dreary" , "Feeble" , "Dull; doleful" , "dark" , "Dreary, cheerless" .)