variants
or less commonly grey
1
a
: of the color gray
b
: tending toward gray
blue-gray eyes
c
: dull in color
2
: having the hair gray : hoary
3
: clothed in gray
4
b
: prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting
the boring, gray dullness of government—
P. J. O'Rourke
P. J. O'Rourke5
: having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character
an ethically gray area
grayly
adverb
grayness
noun
variants
or less commonly grey
1
: any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
2
: something (such as an animal, garment, cloth, or spot) of a gray color
3
a
: a soldier in the Confederate army during the American Civil War
b
often capitalized
: the Confederate army
variants
or less commonly grey
grayed also greyed; graying also greying; grays also greys
1
: to become gray
2
: age
also
: to contain an increasing percentage of older people
The town's population has grayed over the last two decades.
: to make gray
: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material
—abbreviation Gy
Synonyms
Examples of gray in a Sentence
Adjective
What will you do when you are old and gray?
My friends have all gone gray.
It was a gray winter day.
the gray faces of the people in the crowd
Recent Examples on the WebRita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
What’s less clear is whether accounts with gold check marks (granted to official organizations on the platform) or gray check marks (which denote government organizations and officials) contribute to that count.
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Politicians were given gray check marks and organizations could pay for gold check marks.
—Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Most of the hydrogen dispensed in California is gray, meaning it’s produced from natural gas, according to a state report released in December.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
It is spotted by its emerald green color with gray or white underparts, according to Cornell University.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Bush wore sparkling pants and black sweater while Harris sported a white button-down and gray blazer.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
Unlike most raw shrimp, which are gray, royal reds emerge from the sea a brilliant crimson color.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
Authorities believe the pair fled in a gray four-door Honda Civic that had been reported stolen.
—Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
Michael Callahan, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024
But in the meantime, the black block-type, orange piping and road grays against the backdrop of the Green Monster remains a sight to behold.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024
Sherwin-Williams' Snowbound, SW 7004 The presence of gray undertones means this wintery shade plays especially well with other cool colors, like grays and blues.
—Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2024
The variant is available in any of the dozens of colors Rolls-Royce offers, but the demonstration example is finished in a gray called Gunmetal, which has a rich mineral finish that was produced by the application and buffering of four coats of paint during a 16-hour process.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024
In the distance, the mountains were an unlikely gray.
—Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Think skinny glasses, loafers with knee-high sheer socks, and elevated basics in a palette of grays and browns.
—Channing Smith, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024
According to vehicle registration records reviewed by The Washington Post, the car was sold earlier this year and repainted white from dark gray.
—Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Genetics and certain chronic conditions, including autoimmune disorders like vitiligo, have also been linked with early grays, Dr. Taylor adds.
—Cathryne Keller, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024
Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Among the doctors who came to see Johnson was Todd Ivey, a tall man with graying hair.
—Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2024
Other factors, aside from the natural aging process, can trigger hair to gray too.
—Cathryne Keller, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024
Young couples and graying ones, families with kids, students, city commissioners and Jayhawks fans.
—Anne Brockhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024
Social media video emerged of the tornado looming eerily against graying skies at dusk.
—Scott Dance, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Every nation will grapple with the social and economic factors that accompany a graying population.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024
The only obvious difference between the two Ioniq 6 cars was that the one with less efficiency wore shiny paint versus the matte gray better-performing one.
—Evan Williams, Ars Technica, 15 Aug. 2023
One assailant, wearing black gloves and a graying black beard, stood on a third-floor apartment balcony and, as deputies came closer, threw a Molotov cocktail at two white cars parked below.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The next stage is a fuzzy gray mold that can release millions of spores and spread the disease to other as-yet uninfected buds and blooms.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
What’s less clear is whether accounts with gold check marks (granted to official organizations on the platform) or gray check marks (which denote government organizations and officials) contribute to that count.
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Politicians were given gray check marks and organizations could pay for gold check marks.
—Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Most of the hydrogen dispensed in California is gray, meaning it’s produced from natural gas, according to a state report released in December.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
It is spotted by its emerald green color with gray or white underparts, according to Cornell University.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Bush wore sparkling pants and black sweater while Harris sported a white button-down and gray blazer.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
Unlike most raw shrimp, which are gray, royal reds emerge from the sea a brilliant crimson color.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
Authorities believe the pair fled in a gray four-door Honda Civic that had been reported stolen.
—Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
People clutch precious items — a book, a magazine, a photo, a gray felt cowboy hat — waiting for their two-minute turn with the Queen of Graceland, who sits at a table behind a poster-sized portrait of herself in younger days.
—Michael Callahan, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024
But in the meantime, the black block-type, orange piping and road grays against the backdrop of the Green Monster remains a sight to behold.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024
Sherwin-Williams' Snowbound, SW 7004 The presence of gray undertones means this wintery shade plays especially well with other cool colors, like grays and blues.
—Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2024
The variant is available in any of the dozens of colors Rolls-Royce offers, but the demonstration example is finished in a gray called Gunmetal, which has a rich mineral finish that was produced by the application and buffering of four coats of paint during a 16-hour process.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024
In the distance, the mountains were an unlikely gray.
—Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Think skinny glasses, loafers with knee-high sheer socks, and elevated basics in a palette of grays and browns.
—Channing Smith, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024
According to vehicle registration records reviewed by The Washington Post, the car was sold earlier this year and repainted white from dark gray.
—Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Genetics and certain chronic conditions, including autoimmune disorders like vitiligo, have also been linked with early grays, Dr. Taylor adds.
—Cathryne Keller, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024
Verb
Morning sunshine gives way to gray skies in the midday and afternoon.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Among the doctors who came to see Johnson was Todd Ivey, a tall man with graying hair.
—Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2024
Other factors, aside from the natural aging process, can trigger hair to gray too.
—Cathryne Keller, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024
Young couples and graying ones, families with kids, students, city commissioners and Jayhawks fans.
—Anne Brockhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024
Social media video emerged of the tornado looming eerily against graying skies at dusk.
—Scott Dance, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Every nation will grapple with the social and economic factors that accompany a graying population.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024
The only obvious difference between the two Ioniq 6 cars was that the one with less efficiency wore shiny paint versus the matte gray better-performing one.
—Evan Williams, Ars Technica, 15 Aug. 2023
One assailant, wearing black gloves and a graying black beard, stood on a third-floor apartment balcony and, as deputies came closer, threw a Molotov cocktail at two white cars parked below.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to gray
Dictionary Entries Near gray
Cite this Entry
“Gray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
gray
1 of 2 noun
variants
or chiefly British grey
: any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
gray
adjective
or chiefly British grey
gray
2 of 2 noun
: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material
—abbreviation Gy
Biographical Definition
Gray
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Thomas 1716–1771 English poet
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share