grey
adjective
less common spelling of gray
1
a
: of the color gray
b
: tending toward gray
blue-gray eyes
c
: dull in color
2
: having gray hair
grew old and gray
3
: clothed in gray
4
b
: prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting
… the … boring, gray dullness of government …—
P. J. O'Rourke
P. J. O'Rourke5
: having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character
an ethically gray area
Usage of Gray and Grey
Gray and grey are both accepted spellings. Gray is more frequent in US English, while grey is preferred in Canada, the UK, and elsewhere.
Examples of grey in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The centerpiece was composed of different pieces of grey and blue fabric in a patchwork design.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
Director William Friedkin’s film has been lauded for its gritty realism, morally grey (or perhaps outright bankrupt) anti-hero and its revolutionary chase sequences that inspire filmmakers to this day.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
The actress paired the striking look with grey tights, a black choker and platform heels, opting for dark lipstick on her pout.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Harvesting the grey dust With resupply missions from Earth being rare and costly, NASA is prioritizing In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grey
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Christina Perrier, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
Director William Friedkin’s film has been lauded for its gritty realism, morally grey (or perhaps outright bankrupt) anti-hero and its revolutionary chase sequences that inspire filmmakers to this day.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
The actress paired the striking look with grey tights, a black choker and platform heels, opting for dark lipstick on her pout.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Harvesting the grey dust With resupply missions from Earth being rare and costly, NASA is prioritizing In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grey
Cite this Entry
“Grey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grey. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationBiographical Definition
Grey 1 of 4
biographical name (1)
2nd Earl 1764–1845 Charles Grey English statesman; prime minister (1830–34)
Grey
2 of 4biographical name (2)
Sir Edward 1862–1933 Viscount
Grey of Fallodon
ˈfa-lə-dᵊn 
English politician
English politician
Grey
3 of 4biographical name (3)
Lady Jane 1537–1554 titular queen of England for 9 days
Grey
4 of 4biographical name (4)
Zane 1875–1939 American novelist
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