dreariness 1 of 2

dreary

2 of 2

adjective

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2
3
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 dreariness
Adjective
Instead of dreary Danish castles, the action unfolds in boardrooms, mansions and wedding halls in contemporary London and the verse is delivered by a primarily South Asian cast. Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025 The untitled film follows best friends Tess and DeeDee, train stewardesses who trade their dreary shifts on the Stank Rail for the glitzy Glamazonian Express. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025 Credit should also go to whoever scouted and dressed the deliberately dreary locations used, a selection of bare concrete architecture in what looks like the cheating side of every town. Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 Normal people just find the whole brand overhaul ugly and dreary and cheap-looking. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dreariness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreariness
Noun
  • Frustration can push us to solve problems, sadness can deepen your appreciation for joy and worry can sometimes sharpen your focus.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • But sadness, anxiety, anger and frustration can be channeled into actions such as becoming involved in activism and volunteering to help the survivors and society at large.
    Arash Javanbakht, The Conversation, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Not all of Mythopedia is so bleak—just my favorite parts.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
  • When kittens Sam and Frodo were found, survival odds were bleak.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In the end, the depressing counter, which ended in the red, was pumped up by a pair of donations from Bargatze and CBS, bringing the end total to $350,000.
    Sandra Gonzalez, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The amount of layoffs that would result from this merger is depressing to consider.
    Josef Adalian, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But Anderson also knows that the moral purity of revolutionaries gets boring pretty fast.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
  • However, the McCullum and Stokes selection wagon prefers fast wheels rather than those boring job specs, such as age and experience.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In the Pacific Ocean, a tropical depression is expected to form several hundred miles off the southern coast of Mexico.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Dorn told police that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, anxiety and depression, but had not taken his medications for about four months, court documents said.
    Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Princess Amalia took on royal power suiting in a pink ensemble with wide-leg trousers and a matching blazer with dark buttons.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Eight Unbearable Days Ray, Ben, Michael, Michelle’s brother, and Ben’s dad drove up I-70 to Vail, checking into a hotel just after dark as the first hasty teams from VMRG were heading up the mountain.
    Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As Malcolm and Henry prepare to return home, they are met with the sad news that Isaac Grant (Brian McCardie) has died, throwing Malcolm into a new leadership position.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Happy for her but selfishly sad.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Without a strict hierarchy or single decision-maker, our process can sometimes be slow, messy, or even tiring.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The film is a mess, opaque in its argument and tiring in its effortful weirdness, and yet in its best moments has a hypnotic pull.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dreariness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreariness. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.

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