grey

adjective

less common spelling of gray

1

a

: of the color gray

b

: tending toward gray

blue-gray eyes

c

: dull in color

2

: having gray hair

grew old and gray

3

: clothed in gray

4

a

: lacking cheer or brightness in mood, outlook, style, or flavor

also : dismal, gloomy

a gray day

b

: prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting

… the … boring, gray dullness of government …

—P. J. O'Rourke

5

: having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character

an ethically gray area

Usage of Gray and Grey

Gray and grey are both accepted spellings. Gray is more frequent in US English, while grey is preferred in Canada, the UK, and elsewhere.

Examples of grey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From March to October, join a whale-watching trip to spot orcas, humpbacks, or grey whales. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026

Hansleep 3-Piece Quilt Set Shoppers can choose from a plethora of colors, such as pink and olive, along with fall-ready hues, such as navy blue and grey, all of which are available in sizes twin to California king. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2026

At his arraignment, the teen suspect appeared with his hands cuffed behind him and was wearing a grey school uniform sweater over a white collared shirt and grey slacks. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 12 Nov. 2026

Each season of the show has brought in one high-profile actor who plays a morally grey character under AC-12’s suspicion. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2026

Rhymes for grey

• ay
• bay
• bey
• brae
• cay
• chez
• dey
• dray
• fay
• fey
• flay
• fray

Kids Definition

grey

variant of gray

Medical Definition

grey, greyout

chiefly British variant of gray, grayout

Biographical Definition

Grey 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

ˈgrā 

2nd Earl 1764–1845 Charles Grey English statesman; prime minister (1830–34)

Grey

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Sir Edward 1862–1933 Viscount Grey of Fallodon ˈfa-lə-dᵊn  English politician

Grey

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

Lady Jane 1537–1554 titular queen of England for 9 days

Grey

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Zane 1875–1939 American novelist