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
Margot Robbie wears a grey blazer and scarf at the unveiling of RH Milan, The Gallery on Corso Venezia event on April 21 in Milan.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Assaidi, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, swayed in front of the judge, but said nothing before he was released.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The next day, Marca’s front cover reported that Carvajal would start against Real Sociedad with the headline ‘from the grey sofa to the starting XI’.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
This is a delightful new take on yellow-gold from the watchmaking mega brand that feels more tender than its classic hue, with warm undertones of grey and soft pink.
—Charlie Boyd, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grey
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Assaidi, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, swayed in front of the judge, but said nothing before he was released.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The next day, Marca’s front cover reported that Carvajal would start against Real Sociedad with the headline ‘from the grey sofa to the starting XI’.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
This is a delightful new take on yellow-gold from the watchmaking mega brand that feels more tender than its classic hue, with warm undertones of grey and soft pink.
—Charlie Boyd, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 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 25 Apr. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
