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 matte
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dull
Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Gavras doesn’t give her many new levels to play beyond a few scenes of mild flirtation; the character grows dull in all her unwavering conviction.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Bob Sponseller, The Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, jet lag dulls the Bolts’ spark in a close battle that ends in a Fins win.
—Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dull
Adjective
In total, AccuWeather estimates 25 states will see vivid colors while 23 states will experience more dull foliage.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Gavras doesn’t give her many new levels to play beyond a few scenes of mild flirtation; the character grows dull in all her unwavering conviction.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Many parents struggle with how to support adult children without dulling their drive or setting unrealistic expectations.
—Bob Sponseller, The Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, jet lag dulls the Bolts’ spark in a close battle that ends in a Fins win.
—Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dull
Adjective
-
Leslie had been discovered deceased in her upstairs bathroom, with the autopsy listing her official cause of death as blunt force trauma.—
Claire Lempert,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
By reintroducing the War title, the Administration is sending a blunt message and in cyberspace, America is not only defending but also going on the offensive.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Farming takes so long and is so boring, some of us said.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The Clark County Fire Department said that tunnel boring operations had been temporarily halted at the site pending an ongoing accident investigation.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Granted, people’s memories can get a little hazy at times, but here’s an unscientific sample of what some other metro music fans hold dearest about Memorial Hall.—
Randy Mason,
Kansas City Star,
11 Sep. 2025
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Keeping the tradition alive Every year on a hazy summer evening, Hoosiers gather at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in Linton to learn the ropes.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Gone are the days of the ultra-matte liquid lipstick.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
10 Sep. 2025
-
This Lulus bag is primarily matte and clean, with just a tinge of silver on the top handle and cutesy bow.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Williams, in a faded plaid shirt, gray hair sprouting from under a John Deere hat, paced.—
Molly Parker,
ProPublica,
4 Sep. 2025
-
While some might have a faded tie-dye shirt in the back of their closet and listen to the occasional Grateful Dead album, seniors across the spectrum are turning to cannabis—many for the first time.—
Peter Su,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The reigning Super Bowl champs better hope that’s the dumbest thing that one of their players does this season.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Sometimes, actors play a slightly dumber iteration of themselves; think James Van Der Beek in Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23 and Liam Neeson in Life’s Too Short (a performance that got Neeson cast in this year’s The Naked Gun).—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Traditional shades of red and green remain present, but they’re joined by bubble gum pink and soft blue for a more eclectic palette.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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Tejasvi designed it with large-font type to make text easier to see and read, and a soft, blue theme intended to be soothing to people who may come to the site fresh from a scam and be fearful or frazzled.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
After dropping a sleepy rubber match to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, the Tigers have lost nine of their past 13 games.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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In recent years, the government even started paying people to move to its sleepy medieval villages.—
Siobhan Reid,
Robb Report,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dull. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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