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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
Wüsthof Gourmet 4-Piece Chef's Knife Set If your tried-and-true knives are dull and have seen better days, consider upgrading to this Wüsthof set.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Mahoro Seward, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
Syracuse University professor Dimitar Gueorguiev warned that TikTok’s edge has dulled.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dull
Adjective
Critics have called it dull and noted its lack of compelling songwriting in comparison to her previous material.
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
Wüsthof Gourmet 4-Piece Chef's Knife Set If your tried-and-true knives are dull and have seen better days, consider upgrading to this Wüsthof set.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
Still, that didn’t dull the impression left on a young Vitale.
—Mahoro Seward, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
Syracuse University professor Dimitar Gueorguiev warned that TikTok’s edge has dulled.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dull
Adjective
-
So began a campaign that fused blunt political messaging with bighearted moving images—a sensibility not unlike that of Nair’s films.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The running back's response was blunt, even if not necessarily concise.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lina had given up pretending to sleep; her parents were boring today.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Others have called out the boring marketing campaign based around flogging variants in order for Swift to finally beat the record for the biggest opening sales week for a female artist in history (currently held by Adele, which she is likely projected to break).—
Bianca Davino,
Refinery29,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lemon Chiffon and Sundew, Classic Yellow and Armagnac—all evoke dusty landscapes and hazy sunlight.—
Tim Nelson,
Architectural Digest,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Frosted glass has an opaque, hazy finish that provides privacy while still allowing in light.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The long-wearing formula sets to a semi-matte finish that resists oil and humidity, too.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Gone are the days of the ultra-matte liquid lipstick.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
One man, wearing a faded Scott Kingery shirt, admired the view from behind home plate on the club level.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
In 1975, Elvis was a faded star in Vegas and Robert Johnson was just another obscure dead bluesman.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
So many of Black Rabbit’s subplots are confusing, boring, or dumb.—
Andrew Bernard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Luis Jauregui, a professor at UC Irvine, is an expert in quantum physics who is smart enough to describe his work in terms that are foreign to a non-scientist, yet affable enough to explain it anyway, without making any non-scientist feel dumb.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Take the front row, for example, where Russell was fitted with medium tires and Verstappen was on soft tires.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
These unique washcloths only need water to remove makeup like foundation, concealer, and blush, and are soft and gentle enough to wipe away stubborn mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow around the delicate eye area.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike Bacalar, which is relatively new to tourism, Tulum has been transformed from a sleepy backwater into a pumping party town.—
Simon Willis,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Most days are quiet in Armenia’s sleepy southern province of Syunik.—
Michele Crestani,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dull. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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