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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Well, that can make even the most beautiful architecture and designer furniture look drab. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026 Kevin Barnes’ 20th album is, once again, inspired by a breakup, but the drab music lacks the personality and vision of their best work. Ethan Beck, Pitchfork, 9 June 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
  • This method is particularly useful for larger homes, hallways, and staircases where kneeling repeatedly would quickly become cumbersome or tiring.
    Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 13 June 2026
  • 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
Adjective
  • Looking for a heritage bolt of fabric without having to comb through the dusty shelves of an antiques store?
    Alyssa Longobucco, Architectural Digest, 19 June 2026
  • On the dusty backroads of Radiator Springs, where Lightning McQueen and his pals live, a shower of meteors threatened to bring destruction upon the quarter-size cars in a scene that disaster movie king Roland Emmerich would endorse.
    Sandra Gonzalez, CNN Money, 19 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
  • Wall Street will be watching to see if Amazon can further cement itself as consumers' to-go destination for everyday essentials at a time when inflation-weary shoppers are focused on value.
    Paulina Likos, CNBC, 22 June 2026
  • For our weary eyeballs, strained and tired from long periods locked onto screens, rest and relaxation can do wonders.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drab. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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