1
: tedious, uninteresting
dull lectures
2
: lacking sharpness of edge or point
a dull knife
3
a
: not resonant or ringing
a dull booming sound
b
: lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness
a dull ache
4
: lacking brilliance or luster
a dull finish
5
: cloudy
dull weather
6
of a color
: low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a) and low in lightness
a dull green
7
: mentally slow : stupid
8
a
: slow in perception or sensibility : insensible
somewhat dull of hearing
dull to what went on about her—
Willa Cather
Willa Cather
b
: lacking zest (see zest sense 2) or vivacity : listless
a dull performance
9
: slow in action : sluggish
dull markets
dulled; dulling; dulls
: to make dull
dull a knife's edge
: to become dull
The blade dulled with use.
Synonyms
Examples of dull in a Sentence
Adjective
the dull roar of the crowd
the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it
Verb
Fog dulled the morning sunlight.
Special earplugs dulled the sound of the chain saw.
His hair dulled as he aged.
The dog's eyes dulled as he got sick.
She takes medicine to dull the pain.
Fear dulled his need for adventure.
The knife was dulled from use.
The blade should be replaced as soon as it dulls.
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Recent Examples on the WebKatie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
The difference between sharp and dull, especially in late innings, is a significant one.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2023
It’s been fine as far as financial stability and job security, but my job is dull.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2023
It's made with pure shea butter, detoxifying moringa seed oil, and soothing aloe leaf juice to revitalize itchy, dull, and flaky skin.
—Emily Shiffer, Women's Health, 9 Sep. 2023
The steering delivers good highway stability but is dull and uncommunicative on meandering two-lanes.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023
High levels of these create perfect environments for some of the leaf fungi and bacteria that can dull fall color.
—Dave Epstein, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023
These serums work wonders on dull or tired-looking skin, leaving it looking revitalized and radiant.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023
Cedar and other species that may be dull on the outside but which explode with color when finished.
—Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al, 18 Sep. 2023
John Thompson, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2023
Despite straddling the line between past successes and future challenges, Diablo IV proves once again that the march of time has done little to dull the franchise’s razor-sharp fangs.
—Brittany Vincent, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2023
Maybe by keeping Williams quiet while sparing him effusive praise, Riley is trying to dull the hype that soon will be deafening.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2023
What to do: Hitting dirt, gravel, sticks or even just big piles of leaves can dull your blades.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 11 July 2023
This all-natural shampoo helps to remove tough stains that can dull the coat's shine and leave a lasting unpleasant odor.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2023
The Niners at least dulled the pain by finding Purdy with the 262nd and final pick last year.
—Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2023
Some shine of the streak was dulled when he was named in the Mitchell Report as a player who had used performance-enhancing drugs.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023
On the flip side, the wrong glass can dull a stellar wine’s brilliance.
—Susan Choung, Good Housekeeping, 15 Aug. 2023
See More
Adjective
But that’s far preferable to the rest of the film, which is mind-numbingly dull.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
The difference between sharp and dull, especially in late innings, is a significant one.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2023
It’s been fine as far as financial stability and job security, but my job is dull.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2023
It's made with pure shea butter, detoxifying moringa seed oil, and soothing aloe leaf juice to revitalize itchy, dull, and flaky skin.
—Emily Shiffer, Women's Health, 9 Sep. 2023
The steering delivers good highway stability but is dull and uncommunicative on meandering two-lanes.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023
High levels of these create perfect environments for some of the leaf fungi and bacteria that can dull fall color.
—Dave Epstein, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023
These serums work wonders on dull or tired-looking skin, leaving it looking revitalized and radiant.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023
Cedar and other species that may be dull on the outside but which explode with color when finished.
—Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al, 18 Sep. 2023
Verb
Beyond dulling even the sharpest of all-black ensembles, dealing with dandruff can seem never-ending.
—John Thompson, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2023
Despite straddling the line between past successes and future challenges, Diablo IV proves once again that the march of time has done little to dull the franchise’s razor-sharp fangs.
—Brittany Vincent, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2023
Maybe by keeping Williams quiet while sparing him effusive praise, Riley is trying to dull the hype that soon will be deafening.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2023
What to do: Hitting dirt, gravel, sticks or even just big piles of leaves can dull your blades.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 11 July 2023
This all-natural shampoo helps to remove tough stains that can dull the coat's shine and leave a lasting unpleasant odor.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2023
The Niners at least dulled the pain by finding Purdy with the 262nd and final pick last year.
—Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2023
Some shine of the streak was dulled when he was named in the Mitchell Report as a player who had used performance-enhancing drugs.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023
On the flip side, the wrong glass can dull a stellar wine’s brilliance.
—Susan Choung, Good Housekeeping, 15 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dull.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Middle English dul; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of dull was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing dull
Dictionary Entries Near dull
Cite this Entry
“Dull.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dull. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
dull
1 of 2 adjective1
: mentally slow : stupid
2
: listless
3
: slow in action : sluggish
4
: lacking sharpness of edge or point
5
: lacking brilliance or luster
6
: not ringing, sharp, or intense
a dull roar
7
8
: tedious, uninteresting
a dull lecture
9
: slightly grayish
a dull blue
dull
2 of 2 verb
: to make or become dull
More from Merriam-Webster on dull
Nglish: Translation of dull for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dull for Arabic Speakers
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