Synonyms of dreary

dreary

adjective

ˈdrir-ē 

1

as in bleak

causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer

vowed that he would never take a desk job working in a dreary office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bleak
• dark
• lonely
• somber
• depressing
• depressive
• desolate
• solemn
• darkening
• murky
• cold
• gray
• lonesome
• miserable
• morbid
• gloomy
• cheerless
• wretched
• blue
• dismal
• drear
• black
• depressed
• glum
• sad
• lugubrious
• morose
• sullen
• chill
• oppressive
• funereal
• dire
• forlorn
• cloudy
• comfortless
• sepulchral
• disconsolate
• melancholy
• saturnine
• elegiac
• dreich
• godforsaken
• dull
• sunless
• unhappy
• desperate
• tenebrous
• woebegone
• hopeless
• dim
• Cimmerian
• grim
• plutonian
• mournful
• dispiriting
• dejected
• mirthless
• negative
• woeful
• melancholic
• drab
• distressful
• discouraging
• tenebrific
• despondent
• distressing
• pessimistic
• disheartening
• inconsolable
• dismaying
• low
• droopy
• menacing
• sorrowful
• upsetting
• down
• lamentable
• dour
• colorless
• hangdog
• plaintive
• discomfiting
• threatening
• lowering
• lowery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bright
• cheerful
• cheery
• friendly
• festive
• sunshiny
• gay
• cordial
• comforting
• joyous
• joyful
• merry
• jolly
• buoyant
• gay
• mirthful
• blithe
• optimistic
• hopeful
• heartwarming
• cheering
• encouraging
• blithesome
• jocund
• lighthearted
• lightsome

2

as in depressing

causing unhappiness

decided to see a professional counselor in order to save their dreary marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

• depressing
• sad
• pathetic
• melancholy
• mournful
• unfortunate
• dismal
• drear
• tearful
• heartbreaking
• disturbing
• saddening
• teary
• sorry
• heartrending
• distressful
• lamentable
• deplorable
• woeful
• distressing
• perturbing
• grievous
• dispiriting
• disquieting
• discomforting
• moving
• discouraging
• poignant
• disheartening
• touching
• affecting
• discomposing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• happy
• cheery
• glad
• pleasant
• inspiring
• delightful
• stimulating
• uplifting
• enjoyable
• agreeable
• stirring
• welcome
• heartening
• satisfying
• pleasurable
• cheering
• pleasing
• exhilarating
• heartwarming
• thrilling

3

as in boring

causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest

another dreary social event to suffer through

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boring
• tiring
• dull
• slow
• dusty
• weary
• wearying
• stupid
• old
• heavy
• drab
• monotonous
• dry
• annoying
• tedious
• humdrum
• uninteresting
• tiresome
• stodgy
• irritating
• pedestrian
• arid
• tame
• wearisome
• colorless
• monochromatic
• stuffy
• ponderous
• stale
• leaden
• jejune
• ho-hum
• numbing
• mind-numbing
• pallid
• drudging
• exhausting
• barren
• flat
• sterile
• blah
• gray
• unexciting
• spiritless
• soggy
• dullish
• jading
• uneventful
• blank
• prosaic
• unimaginative
• uninspiring
• prosy
• unrewarding
• irksome
• unspectacular
• draining
• undramatic
• unsensational
• earthbound
• pedantic
• aseptic
• bothersome
• inanimate
• ordinary
• fatiguing
• dispiriting
• debilitating
• vapid
• discouraging
• common
• unexceptional
• tepid
• commonplace
• cumbersome
• pleasureless
• disheartening
• enervating
• suspenseless
• demoralizing
• unnewsworthy
• unsurprising
• wearing
• plodding
• poky
• lumbering
• longsome
• palling
• enfeebling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interesting
• wonderful
• intriguing
• wondrous
• involving
• spectacular
• exciting
• marvelous
• surprising
• riveting
• amazing
• engrossing
• engaging
• awesome
• sensational
• fabulous
• astonishing
• exhilarating
• absorbing
• gripping
• inspiring
• amusing
• astounding
• breathtaking
• thrilling
• entertaining
• stimulating
• charming
• rousing
• energizing
• electrifying
• attractive
• alluring
• poignant
• stirring
• fascinating
• enchanting
• enlivening
• moving
• animating
• invigorating
• beguiling
• enthralling
• bewitching
• entrancing
• touching
• rip-roaring
• eye-opening
• galvanizing
• attracting
• hair-raising
• suspenseful
• diverting
• provocative
• tantalizing
• captivating
• spellbinding
• mesmerizing
• arresting

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

Recent Examples of dreary

Fortunately, houseplants like the Christmas cactus can make even the dreariest of seasons feel a bit more joyful. —Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026

Snag the black ones to anchor multiple outfits, or the light grey pair to brighten up the dreary season. —Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026

Designer Pam Hutter agrees, noting that dark gray can make spaces feel cramped and dreary, particularly in small rooms. —Cori Sears, The Spruce, 29 Dec. 2025

This is a grumpy, pouty, dreary team right now. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Dec. 2025