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
Zhaivoronok is not enamored by the military's drab green camouflage, and puts colorful buttons on his prosthetic limb. Carol Guzy, NPR, 22 Feb. 2026 As a reflection of the couple’s grief, the interior of their home has been stylistically drained of color with virtually everything from the funiture to the plateware and food a drab mix of grays and black. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
The Midi Dress Midi dresses are the opposite of drab at the moment. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Mar. 2025 Early mammals were small, strictly nocturnal, and altogether less showy–verging on downright drab, as supported by a study published March 13 in the journal Science. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drab
Adjective
  • Crank up some music and have a dance party during an otherwise boring moment.
    Margery D. Rosen, Parents, 5 Mar. 2026
  • At this point, the UConn-dominance-is-boring crowd has had years to debate during the reigns of several incredible players.
    Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The actor plays an American mortician caught in the middle of the conflict, trying to help a group of young women (including some prostitutes) escape the Japanese onslaught.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Legalized prostitution enables and legitimizes the degradation of human beings, especially women who make up the majority of prostitutes.
    Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The back-and-forth between Archie and Katie is exhausting, and the politics of academia, including budget changes and the revolving door of faculty and staff, are rather dull.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Cold temperatures dull flavors and aromas—meaning your drink just won't be as full-flavored as one poured at room temperature or served over ice.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Hayley — who turns out to be a hooker who does secretarial admin on the side and not an executive assistant who occasionally threesomes — is extorting him for $750,000.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Well, yes, there were also hookers and tequila girls and whatever else was going on in those offices.
    Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • But this relief rally may be tiring for now and the optimal reward seems skewed to the downside.
    Jay Woods, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Flying can be tiring, but apparently not as tiring as seeing passengers in pajamas – at least according to one airport.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Be sure to stick around for the twice-daily gunfights staged in the dusty streets by local thespians in 10-gallon hats.
    Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • After each dangerous sequence, however, the singer is shown casually brushing himself off and returning to set, while the stunt performers who executed the risky scenes appear bruised and dusty as filming wraps.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Council members LaWana Slack-Mayfield, Malcolm Graham and Joi Mayo, whose west Charlotte District 3 contains most of the affected part of I-77, pressed the agency on its slow responses to their questions, asked in November, shortly after NCDOT released its maps for the first time.
    Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The jokes and musical bits are amusing but not groundbreaking, and the story is too light and slow to have a real impact.
    Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Something weary about his body too.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.
    Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drab. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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