dull

1 of 2

adjective

ˈdəl 

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

b

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

a dull performance

9

: slow in action : sluggish

dull markets

dullness noun

or less commonly dulness

ˈdəl-nəs 

dully

ˈdə(l)-lē 

adverb

dullness

2 of 2

noun

dull·​ness

variants or dulness

plural -es

1

: the quality or state of being dull : stupidity, apathy, drowsiness, bluntness : a lack of luster, vividness, or brightness : monotony

the village street is well shaded by elms, with flower beds brightening the general dullness

—American Guide Series: Vermont

exports … underwent a quick recovery after the seasonal dullness of the summer months

—Paper Trade Journal

the men were getting freshened up from the day's monotonies and dullnesses

—Mark Twain

2

: something that is dull

checkbooks and columns of figures and rent bills and grocer's bills and light bills and telephone bills and other awful dullnesses

—J. L. Street †1947

Synonyms of dull

Adjective

• blunt
• blunted
• dulled

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

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Curacao home kit is quite dull and is a slightly weird colour, but this is almost perfect. —Nick Miller, New York Times, 10 June 2026

Unfortunately, hyaluronic acid decreases with age, which can contribute to a loss of plumpness, fine lines, and an overall duller complexion. —Sherri Gordon, Health, 10 June 2026

The saltiness of drinks like the Bloody Mary or plain tomato juice can actually seem a bit dull, leaving a fresher and sweeter taste behind. —Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026

Hair loss is self-explanatory, while dryness results from damage to the outer layer of the cuticle, leading to moisture loss and hair that feels coarse and appears dull. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English dul; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind

Noun

Middle English dulnesse, from dul, dulle + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7

Phrases Containing dull

• (as) dull as dishwater
• (as) dull as ditchwater
• dull-witted
• never a dull moment

Rhymes for dull

• cull
• gul
• gull
• lull
• null
• scull
• skull
• stull
• trull
• tulle
• seagull

Kids Definition

dull

1 of 2 adjective

ˈdəl 

1

: 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

: cloudy sense 2, overcast

8

: tedious, uninteresting

a dull lecture

9

: slightly grayish

a dull blue

dullness noun

also dulness

ˈdəl-nəs 

dully

ˈdəl-(l)ē 

adverb

dull

2 of 2 verb

: to make or become dull

Medical Definition

dull

adjective

ˈdəl 

1

: mentally slow or stupid

2

: slow in perception or sensibility

3

: lacking sharpness of edge or point

a dull scalpel

4

: lacking in force, intensity, or acuteness

a dull pain

dull verb

dullness noun

or dulness

ˈdəl-nəs 

dully

ˈdəl-ē 

adverb