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as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest another dreary social event to suffer through

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dreary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dreary are bleak, cheerless, desolate, dismal, and gloomy. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

When might bleak be a better fit than dreary?

The meanings of bleak and dreary largely overlap; however, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When can cheerless be used instead of dreary?

While in some cases nearly identical to dreary, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

Where would desolate be a reasonable alternative to dreary?

The words desolate and dreary can be used in similar contexts, but desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

In what contexts can dismal take the place of dreary?

The words dismal and dreary are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

When could gloomy be used to replace dreary?

In some situations, the words gloomy and dreary are roughly equivalent. However, gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

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 dreary Despite the dreary weather going into this weekend, the show will go on for the annual Jones Beach air show on Long Island. Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025 When did that dreary, depressing part of your career come to an end? Steve Knopper, Billboard, 20 May 2025 Alas, Herod’s world is numbingly dreary, at odds with the nasty glitter of the score. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025 Not much went the Mets’ way during a dreary series finale against the Chicago White Sox. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dreary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreary
Adjective
  • The somewhat bleak outlook was laid bare Tuesday night after the USMNT was thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland during a friendly in Nashville.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
  • Instead of learning from this bleak recent history, Americans are now painfully absorbing this lesson by repeating it.
    Jonathan Haskel, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • And books about cancer don’t have to be depressing.
    Terry McDonell June 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
  • That was a bit depressing, that first paintbrush touching your skin.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • Corner infielders Carlos Santana (1B, CLE): The definition of boring and solid.
    Owen Poindexter, New York Times, 13 June 2025
  • These pre-seasoned staples can revive boring veggies or fix a bland soup in no time flat.
    Sarah Felbin, SELF, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Its reversible design features dark stripes on one side made of 92 percent wool, 4 percent polyester, and 4 percent cotton, and the opposite side is made from 100 percent cotton in the solid natural color.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 15 June 2025
  • The Republican president, on his 79th birthday, sat in a special viewing stand south of the White House to watch the display of American military might, which began early and moved swiftly as light rain fell and dark clouds shrouded the Washington Monument.
    LOLITA C. BALDOR, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • The building directly across the street stands in sad disrepair, its windows smashed, swathed in graffiti, a front garage door hangs half-open.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2025
  • Two screenshots from the video showing Ollie was a sad facial expression.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • The 35-year-old started 22 of the 24 games Cronenworth missed with a fractured rib and was clearly tiring at the end, going 3-for-30 in his final nine starts.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025
  • Bradley was clearly tiring, having struggled at times defensively in the second half.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • As found in the survey, adults who experience daily loneliness are nearly five times more likely to rate their current life poorly compared to those who aren’t lonely.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
  • Skeletal branches created a cathedral over the lonely vehicle where the 64-year-old man had breathed his last, the winter-gray river placid in the background behind a ramble of fences.
    Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • So why did a chess engine that came under the pathetic category and only looks one move ahead not just defeat but humiliate ChatGPT?
    David Szondy June 15, New Atlas, 15 June 2025
  • Not because ownership has had a change of heart, but rather as a way to address their pathetic offense.
    Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dreary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreary. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

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