drabber; drabbest
2
a
: of a light olive brown color : of the color drab (see drab entry 2 sense 1a)
b
: of the dull brown color of drab (see drab entry 2 sense 2)
drably
adverb
drabness
noun
1
a
: a light olive brown
b
: a dull, lifeless, or faded appearance or quality
2
textiles
: any of various cloths of a dull brown or gray color
dressed in drabs
: a small amount
—usually used in the phrase dribs and drabs
receiving donations in dribs and drabs
plural drabs
1
: slattern
2
: a woman who engages in sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay : a woman who is a sex worker
drabbed; drabbing; drabs
: to associate with sex workers
… a waster, an idler; drinking and drabbing …—
Aldous Huxley
Aldous HuxleyExamples of drab in a Sentence
Adjective
He lives a drab life.
the new city hall promises to be another drab pile of masonry for the town
Noun (3)
in its time, this waterfront dive was decried as a den of iniquity, unfit even for the drunks and drabs who haunted it
Recent Examples on the Web
Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The new crime comedy Caught Stealing unfolds in the year 1998, traveling across a distinctly grungy New York City—all dingy subway platforms and drab Chinatown apartments.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2025
Courtesy Mya Mendola Nevertheless, transformation videos are all over TikTok, showing drab, undecorated freshman dorms elevated into luxurious oases.
—Natalie Bennett, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drab
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Adjective
The before-and-after photos are striking, demonstrating just how much some of these crafty, keen-eyed parents — most of whom have no prior design experience — can make of the drab dorm layout that greets students on move-in day.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The new crime comedy Caught Stealing unfolds in the year 1998, traveling across a distinctly grungy New York City—all dingy subway platforms and drab Chinatown apartments.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
The 6x9' is just out of reach at $558, but feels worth the splurge to take your outdoor space from drab to designer.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2025
Courtesy Mya Mendola Nevertheless, transformation videos are all over TikTok, showing drab, undecorated freshman dorms elevated into luxurious oases.
—Natalie Bennett, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drab
Cite this Entry
“Drab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drab. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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