dreary

adjective

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drea·ry | \ ˈdrir-ē

drearier; dreariest

Definition of dreary

1 : feeling, displaying, or reflecting listlessness or discouragement cheer a dreary mind— George Berkeley

2 : having nothing likely to provide cheer, comfort, or interest : gloomy, dismal a cold, dreary morning

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Choose the Right Synonym for dreary

dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort. dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess. dismal weather dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility. a dreary job bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten. the bleak years of the depression gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise. gloomy war news cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering. a drab and cheerless office desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect. a desolate outpost

Examples of dreary in a Sentence

It was a gray, dreary morning. The family struggled through dreary economic times.

Recent Examples on the Web The season also presents an opportunity to refresh your home after a long, dreary winter, and Chasing Paper's latest collection of peel-and-stick wallpaper makes the perfect spring update. — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2021 For scene-seekers tired of social distancing, Miami became a place outside of the dreary reality of the pandemic, and the new Carbone the city’s hottest ticket, the prom queen of South Beach. — Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 19 May 2021 There's a lot of tantalizing information doled out about this dreary future, where 5 billion people are freshly dead and nuclear bombs fly a bit freely. — Darren Franich, EW.com, 17 May 2021 On a dreary-weather day this winter, sit down with pen and paper — or splash out for some cool cards — and write them out by hand. — Jen Rose Smith, CNN, 19 Nov. 2020 The winter sun sets early in New England, which for many commuters means several dreary months of trekking home in darkness. — Christian Wade, Washington Examiner, 28 Apr. 2021 It’s dreary and muggy, but rain chances will be rather low tonight. — Dallas News, 27 Apr. 2021 But mostly, there were dreary moments inside a gorgeous setting. — Mike Hughes, The Enquirer, 26 Apr. 2021 If this all sounds rather dreary, well, a lot of it is. — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dreary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.