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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 Chip, the 3-year-old miniature dachshund, was filmed bounding toward the open door but immediately reconsidering after inspecting the dreary conditions outside his home in England. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 Who else was caught off guard by the dreary, misty rain this morning? Cate Martel, The Hill, 10 Sep. 2025 Hunter Goodman continues to be a shining beacon in the Rockies’ otherwise dreary season. Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for dreary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreary
Adjective
  • While there is still a chance that Sanders and Colorado can turn things around, the rest of the season is looking bleak.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • From a bleak job hunt upon her arrival in 2016 to undergoing treatment for her second bout with breast cancer during the uncertainty and fear of COVID, Davis recalls her journey through raw vulnerability and splashes of humor.
    Essence, Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Coordinating your exhales with the pressing, depressing, pulling and lifting phases of these exercises enhances activation of the scapular stabilizing muscles and reinforces proper rib cage alignment.
    Dana Santas, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Closing The Gap The racial wealth gap in America remains depressing, and homeownership is one of the clearest indicators of it.
    Essence, Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • And, actually, representative of the sport in these non-boring ’20s.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Aesha knows a thing or two about Bitcoin, despite finding it a boring topic of conversation — her fiancé, Scott, is into crypto.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Attendees can also expect kid-friendly activities, including hair braiding, glow-in-the-dark face painting, accessory booths, photo booths, and giant inflatable mascots on the dance floor.
    Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Atop her dress, Carey opted for a long-sleeve dark leather jacket with a cropped design and edgy zipper closure.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • One purveyor of fairy tales that wasn’t afraid of a sad ending?
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Sade Bess, a Combs fan from Brooklyn, left the court’s overflow observation room looking both sad and relieved.
    Jennifer Peltz, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The first trimester was always tiring.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
  • 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
Adjective
  • In the play, Farrow played Sharon, a lonely Iowa woman – estranged from her adult son, divorced from her husband – who decides to take a boarder into her large farmhouse.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
  • But on the flip side, the one tally in the win column remains lonely as the team heads into its Week 5 matchup against the Jets in New York.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Characters can be pathetic, and frank about their Toledo Truth Teller’s bleak prospects.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Jimmy Kimmel is a pathetic hate monger.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dreary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreary. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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