drab 1 of 2

Definition of drabnext
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the new city hall promises to be another drab pile of masonry for the town

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drab

2 of 2

noun

as in prostitute
a woman who engages in sexual activities for money in its time, this waterfront dive was decried as a den of iniquity, unfit even for the drunks and drabs who haunted it

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drab
Adjective
Weaving together an opulence of archival material and smart clip choices, Thompson and his editor Paul Van Dyck proceed chronologically through Lean’s professional and private life, starting with his childhood in the drab South London borough of Croyden with a strict Quaker family. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026 Each new style adds neutral and drab earth tones to the 2000s-era running shoe, which has been quietly upgraded with high-performance technology. Riley Jones, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Noun
The 6x9' is just out of reach at $558, but feels worth the splurge to take your outdoor space from drab to designer. Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2025 Courtesy Mya Mendola Nevertheless, transformation videos are all over TikTok, showing drab, undecorated freshman dorms elevated into luxurious oases. Natalie Bennett, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drab
Adjective
  • Sometimes safe and boring can be a winning strategy.
    Nina Bambysheva, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • The cause can be something as simple as a lack of water or more complex, like fungal wilt diseases, tomato wilt viruses, walnut toxicity, or boring insects.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • Pol learns the ropes alongside fellow stripper Noel (Daniel Fernando) and savvy prostitute Bambi (Jaclyn Jose), discovering an underbelly of protection rackets, human trafficking and rampant political corruption.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 June 2026
  • Under colonial rule hijras were accused of acting as male prostitutes and of kidnapping and castrating children to grow their community.
    Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.
    Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
  • Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • This kind of inclusivity would explain Glenn Close‘s appearance — as a visiting literary scholar — at just the right moment, as well as Penélope Cruz’s showstopping cameo as Nené, a singer-slash-hooker who schools Sebastián on the then-nascent form of the modern transgender movement.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
  • Bemis, sold by her family in China and sent to America, worked as a domestic, not as a hooker.
    Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The longtime Florida coach swapped a tiring McDonald for Russell Sandefer with one out in the top of the sixth inning.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 June 2026
  • By combining both the heated air flow of a blow dryer and a round brush in a single tool, this product is much simpler and less tiring to use than working with a separate hair dryer and round brush.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • SpaceX's headquarters in Starbase, Texas, which sits at the state's southern tip in the Rio Grande Valley, emerges almost unexpectedly after miles of long, dusty dirt roads.
    Maya Blackstone, CBS News, 12 June 2026
  • The nose on my sample kicked off with some dusty funk, espresso, and dark chocolate.
    David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Adjective
  • The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 20 June 2026
  • The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • Some war-weary Republicans were eager to endorse the agreement — if the fine print matches the administration’s summary.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
  • Quit Complaining Travel can be stressful, especially when airports swell with weary-eyed tourists who may be dealing with delays, cancellations, and lost luggage.
    Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drab. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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