drabness

noun

as in dullness

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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 drabness Life, at least for my family, was defined by scarcity, monotony, and drabness. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drabness
  1. dullness
  2. boredom
  3. tedium
  4. ennui
  5. tediousness
  6. weariness
  7. restlessness
Noun
  • Move the blade across the stone from handle to tip, repeating 10 to 20 times depending on the dullness of the blade.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Yeomans says the approach can work for a range of concerns, including oiliness, dullness, frizz and weak hair that needs strengthening.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of dullness
Noun
  • But this is potentially generative boredom, the kind that might induce a trance or, at its most transcendent, a divine encounter.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Survey findings About 28% of Gaston respondents reported moderate or higher levels of negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger or boredom, compared with roughly 10% in Union, Venkitasubramanian said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of boredom
Noun
  • Imagine 007 unmanned by a comparable tedium—slumped in a greasy London flat, counting his nicotine patches and waiting for M to call.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That tedium could result in companies pushing uninspired and buggy products.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of tedium
Noun
  • Stick it out through the trollish one-liners and half-joking ennui, and a galvanizing abundance grindset emerges.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The frames offered by the car’s windshield, windows, and rearview mirror, when catalyzed by the oneiric ennui and schizophrenic paranoia of the drive, create a crucible for a unique brand of voyeurism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of ennui
Noun
  • Many women with natural hair can empathize with the breakage concerns and tediousness that can arise when taking down protective styles.
    — Caché McClay, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
  • It’s powered by your own hand—only without the tediousness of using a needle and thread.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2025
Definition of tediousness
Noun
  • Then there were the struggling players who had no weariness excuse.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But John Bravender, a weather service warning coordination meteorologist, said 2026 has yielded a different type of weariness in Hawaii.
    — John Raby, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of weariness
Noun
  • Cheng told Hackensack Meridian Health that drinking caffeine during this window can temporarily raise cortisol even further, potentially contributing to feelings of anxiety or restlessness.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Pouring caffeine on top of that peak can push cortisol even higher, which Cheng said may contribute to anxiety and restlessness.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of restlessness

Browse Nearby Words

drably
drabness
drabs
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Cite this Entry

“Drabness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drabness. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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