dull

1 of 2

adjective

ˈdəl

Synonyms of dull next

: tedious, uninteresting

dull lectures

: lacking sharpness of edge or point

a dull knife

: not resonant or ringing

a dull booming sound

: lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness

a dull ache

: lacking brilliance or luster

a dull finish

: cloudy

dull weather

of a color : low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a) and low in lightness

a dull green

: mentally slow : stupid

: slow in perception or sensibility : insensible

somewhat dull of hearing

dull to what went on about her—

Willa Cather

: lacking zest (see zest sense 2) or vivacity : listless

a dull performance

: slow in action : sluggish

dull markets

dullness noun

or less commonly dulness

ˈdəl-nəs

dully

ˈdə(l)-lē

adverb

dull

2 of 2

verb

dulled; dulling; dulls

transitive verb

: to make dull

dull a knife's edge

intransitive verb

: to become dull

The blade dulled with use.

Choose the Right Synonym for dull

dull, blunt, obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute.

dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency.

a dull pain

a dull mind

blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception.

a person of blunt sensibility

obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination.

too obtuse to take the hint

synonyms see in addition stupid

Example Sentences

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The straight-edge blades are honed by hand and will require sharpening at home once the blades feel dull. —

Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Feb. 2023 The extended driving scene quickly begins to feel dull, the reason being that throughout the film, the camera rarely strays away from a close or extreme close-up shot of the actors' faces. —

Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2023 Back pain may feel dull and achy, or sharp and pinching. —

Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 23 Jan. 2023 About 40 to 60 percent of patients taking SSRI’s are believed to experience limited enjoyment or feel emotionally dull. —

Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Jan. 2023 Earth’s surfaces seemed gray compared to the film’s gorgeous vistas — and the quotidian ways of mankind felt dull and restrictive compared to the symbiotic tranquility of the Na’vi, the race of blue humanoids native to Pandora. —

J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 14 Dec. 2022 If your razor is clogged with hair, looks grimy, or feels dull—throw it out. —

Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022 But it can also be used alone when your skin is feeling dull and dry. —

Alex Warner, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2022 Too much autopilot can leave us feeling dull and disconnected. —

Mark Travers, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2022

Verb

And after all this time, even a pandemic couldn't dull its luster. —

Harper's Bazaar Staff, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Feb. 2023 While all that admirably gifts the picture with a bright effervescence, its blights dull its impact, leading to a slight case of rigor mortis. —

Courtney Howard, Variety, 1 Dec. 2022 But in a new preview of the film, a villainous laugh threatens to dull her light and drown out her voice. —

Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2022 If such news can raise doubts about other signs of weakness, three considerations dull the force of any such counterargument. —

Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022 Rising theft—and stores’ measures to prevent it—could dull that edge. —

Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022 It can be used to dull aches and pains and tame a fever. —

Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2023 Users built up a tolerance to the drugs and needed more and more to dull their pain — or achieve their high. —

Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2023 Though be advised that some high water pressure and detergents can dull the edge and loosen the handle. —

Audrey Bruno, SELF, 27 Jan. 2023 See More

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