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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressing
causing unhappiness
decided to see a professional counselor in order to save their dreary marriage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
another dreary social event to suffer through
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreary
No matter how dreary the forecast, strong outerwear can make getting dressed for frigid temperatures seamless.
—
Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2025
Rainy season may sound dreary, but the temperatures are still high, and the showers tend to come in short bursts, rather than lasting all day.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Here, though, the extended and rather dreary sequence did underline how trope-y the mechanics are.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
The fireworks that lit up the sky afterward brightened an otherwise dreary night as the Mustangs turned three first-half Hornets turnovers into 11 points, punctuated by a 23-yard interception return into the end zone by Brian Dukes Jr.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreary
Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2025
Rainy season may sound dreary, but the temperatures are still high, and the showers tend to come in short bursts, rather than lasting all day.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Here, though, the extended and rather dreary sequence did underline how trope-y the mechanics are.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
The fireworks that lit up the sky afterward brightened an otherwise dreary night as the Mustangs turned three first-half Hornets turnovers into 11 points, punctuated by a 23-yard interception return into the end zone by Brian Dukes Jr.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreary
Adjective
-
Meta’s entry-level roles are a welcome addition to a bleak Gen Z job market.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Things looked bleak when the Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but eventually, the Jays came roaring back.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
His college career has come to an end in a very depressing way.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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As a result, his work is equal parts depressing and invigorating.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone who suggests Guardiola’s title-winning Manchester City teams were boring should be forced to watch 90 minutes of Mourinho’s Chelsea versus Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool in the mid-2000s and report back.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The details might be boring, but the gathering of money—searching gem dealers, gold dealers—was a full-time job.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Kennedy sought the advice of doctors after dealing with severe memory loss and brain fog, reportedly leading to a scan of his brain that showed a dark spot in the imagery.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
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Instantly, her apartment faded away, to be replaced by a dark void.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Steve's wife, Chelsey Bridges, announced the sad news on Friday in a video shared to her late husband's social pages.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
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This admission seemed sad—critics are supposed to take pride in withstanding disagreement.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With the departure of disgraced co-creator Justin Roiland after the third season, the show has been steadily improving in quality, with a tremendous cast and some very funny done-in-one episodes that don't have the sometimes tiring cynicism of R&M.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Oct. 2025
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However, some Republicans have spoken out against her and recently reported that some administration officials are tiring of her, suggesting her influence is not unbridled.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Our system isn’t set up to look at whether someone’s lonely or not.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
12 Oct. 2025
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Padres fans turn their lonely eyes to you.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And Craig Waterman, the marketing executive from the 2024 film Friendship, took Robinson into new territory with a darker and more pathetic take on the same neurotic type.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
13 Oct. 2025
-
In his brightest moments, Mike is boyishly gentle, a little wacky, and modestly proud — all in ways that Dillane manages to make feel both pathetic and delightful.—
Beatrice Loayza,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreary. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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