dull

adjective

\ ˈdəl

Definition of dull

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : tedious, uninteresting dull lectures

2 : lacking sharpness of edge or point a dull knife

3a : 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

8a : 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

dull

verb

dulled; dulling; dulls

Definition of dull (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to make dull dull a knife's edge

intransitive verb

: to become dull The blade dulled with use.

Other Words from dull Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about dull

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Other Words from dull

Adjective

dullness or less commonly dulness \ ˈdəl-nəs

\ noun

dully \ ˈdə(l)-lē

\ adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for dull

Synonyms: Adjective

blunt, blunted, dulled, obtuse

Synonyms: Verb

benumb, blunt, cauterize, damp, dampen, deaden, numb

Antonyms: Adjective

cutting, edged, edgy, ground, honed, keen, pointed, sharp, sharpened, whetted

Antonyms: Verb

sharpen, whet

Choose the Right Synonym for dull

Adjective

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

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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

This is a professional-grade, three-stage electric sharpener that quickly sharpens even the dullest, most abused knives. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Knife Sharpener," 23 Feb. 2019 Both sides give off the dull, musty smells of work-glove function: stale sawdust and grease pierced with top notes of gasoline. — Liz Arnold, Longreads, "Making Peace with the Site of a Suicide," 11 July 2018 From the dry, freezing air on the streets to the central heat indoors, winter is virtually designed to suck the moisture out of your complexion, leaving it brittle, easily irritated, and devastatingly dull. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "12 Face and Body Moisturizers That Will Transform Dry Winter Skin Overnight," 31 Jan. 2019 But nitro finishes dull over time and the paint chips off. — Henry Robertson, Popular Mechanics, "Can Guitar Paint Affect Your Tone?," 31 Dec. 2018 Still popular Despite dull industry performance, investors still haven’t lost their taste for hedge funds. — Eric Uhlfelder, WSJ, "Hedge Funds Are on the Way to a Bad 10-Year Streak," 9 Sep. 2018 The product contains apricot kernel oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E, and claims to get rid of dull-looking skin. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "'America's Got Talent' Judge Heidi Klum Spills Her Secret to Flawless Skin," 18 July 2018 But these 1970s buildings seemed to Kingelez just a starting point, too international, too dull for his idea of the nation. — Alexandra Lange, Curbed, "Concrete utopia," 12 July 2018 At their worst, travel books are dated, deeply racist, or just painfully dull. — Heather Hansman, Outside Online, "The 8 Best Travel Books of All Time," 23 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

That, Kunin says, should help flush any complexion-dulling waste from your system. — Jillian Ruffo, Glamour, "I Tried a Glow-Boosting IV Treatment to See If It'd Give Me Better Skin," 30 Nov. 2018 Some economists have said uncertainty over trade, aggravated by tariffs imposed by Mr. Trump in 2018, might dull the business-investment boost the large cut in the corporate-tax rate was designed to spur. — Nick Timiraos, WSJ, "WSJ Tax Guide 2019: The Tax Cut’s Economic Impact," 15 Feb. 2019 The only countertop that can actually be used as a cutting surface, butcher-block won't dull your knives like stone or concrete counters. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Butcher-Block Countertops: Pros, Cons, and Everything Else You Should Know," 15 Jan. 2019 Kirkeminde grew up about a six-hour drive from here, in Knoxville, with a quick stint in Central Florida that did nothing to dull his Jack Daniels, Dollywood, you-want-that-barbecue-wet-or-dry? — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "Inside FedEx’s Christmas Miracle," 19 Dec. 2018 Higher yields in the U.S. dull the appeal of emerging-market assets. — Ira Iosebashvili, WSJ, "Brazilian Real Extends Rally," 9 Oct. 2018 Then came a numbing cream to dull the pain of the blade. — Jessica Yarbrough, SELF, "Microblading Helped Me Stop Obsessively Pulling Out My Eyebrows," 5 Dec. 2018 The downside is that delaying the franchise’s start by a year risks dulling some of the momentum that has been building within the Seattle marketplace. — Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times, "NHL could announce October 2021 start date for new Seattle team as early as Tuesday," 3 Dec. 2018 Yet even as time numbed his wounds, success and self-indulgence dulled his pen. — Robert R. Garnett, WSJ, "A Lost Love Gave Us Hemingway’s Spare Prose," 6 July 2018

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.