1
as in blunt
lacking sharpness of edge or point
the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
a dull dance recital that made us wish that we were someplace else
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3
as in hazy
covered over by clouds
dull skies plagued most of our vacation days at the beach
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4
as in dulled
lacking a surface luster or gloss
a good polish should restore that car's dull finish
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5
as in faded
lacking intensity of color
that canvas shirt should fade to an attractive, dull red over time
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6
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
the importance of the discovery was lost on the dull minds of his colleagues
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7
as in soft
not loud in pitch or volume
a dull roar from the distance
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8
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
a dull market for luxury goods this holiday season
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1
as in to blunt
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the aspirin dulled his headache and he was soon feeling better
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2
as in to bleach
to make white or lighter by removing color
the painting's once-vivid colors have been dulled by time
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dull
Tamara Gane,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
Essentially, a dull mower blade compromises the health and appearance of your grass.
—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
14 June 2026
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
The danger is heavy-handed protections for Eskom will suppress wholesale prices, dulling market signals investors need for further investment in the sector, and effectively rebranding the old monopoly.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dull
Adjective
The shiny and dull sides of aluminum foil result from the manufacturing process.
—
Tamara Gane,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
Essentially, a dull mower blade compromises the health and appearance of your grass.
—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
14 June 2026
Verb
Instead, the Knights tied it late in regulation before Carolina won in overtime, which blurred the cause-and-effect narrative enough to dull the criticism of Tortorella’s call.
—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
The danger is heavy-handed protections for Eskom will suppress wholesale prices, dulling market signals investors need for further investment in the sector, and effectively rebranding the old monopoly.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dull
Adjective
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Erasure is sometimes too blunt a word for what happens to a literary life.
-
Patton Veterinary Hospital was blunt on its website.
Adjective
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Sustainable growth feels boring from the inside.
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The point is to make the boring stuff feel like a hangout, not to build a productivity system.
Adjective
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Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.
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In the private ward in the maternity wing, everything is quiet, all the surfaces immaculate and clean as if nothing at all has happened, your mother still hazy with the blur of oxytocin and carbetocin, staring out the open window.
Adjective
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Its 85-inch QLED display features a highly matte anti-glare screen, so your art and movies look lifelike without annoying reflections.
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The long-wearing formula sets to a semi-matte finish that resists oil and humidity, too.
Adjective
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Directed by Son Jae-gon and starring Gang Dong-won, Uhm Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun, the film tracks a faded first-generation K-pop co-ed dance trio making a reckless attempt to stage a comeback two decades after a plagiarism scandal dissolved their careers.
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The one difference was a new layer of red bricks over the faded previous layer.
Adjective
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And the script’s very cute but deeply dumb leading man, Alex (Nico Carney), climbs a flight of stairs toward his best friend’s bedroom door.
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And there are no ego-destroying confrontations with people who know how to do things, who tell you that your idea is dumb.
Adjective
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Recreational swimming is not permitted, yet anglers fishing for tilapia, largemouth bass and carp are a common sight along the rocky sides of the soft-bottom areas.
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That first bite delivers the crispy outside with a soft chew of rice, followed by the hot dog.
Adjective
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Summer is a sleepy season for new cookbooks.
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On paper, New York State Comptroller is a sleepy job.
Cite this Entry
“Dull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dull. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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