dulled 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in dull
lacking a surface luster or gloss it might be best to paint the exposed pipes with a dulled enamel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faded
lacking intensity of color the dulled colors and brownish tones are characteristic of this painter's works

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blunted
lacking sharpness of edge or point the dulled blade of a knife that had been stored in a drawer full of miscellaneous utensils

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dulled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of dull
1
as in reduced
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling the aspirin dulled his headache and he was soon feeling better

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bleached
to make white or lighter by removing color the painting's once-vivid colors have been dulled by time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dulled
Verb
Bikes like these would make a lot of sense from a sales perspective, considering the appeal of these models has never dulled in the motorcycle community. — New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026 That was half her life ago, but the emotional charge of that day has never dulled. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 None of this ever accumulates much weight, however, since the conflicts are all dulled by the one-note absurdity of the farcical plotting. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026 Then there is smell, dulled by our reliance on artificial fragrance; and sound, overwhelmed by notification pings. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026 The flavor of the wine may be dulled, or an off or sour taste could develop. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026 The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and her smile seemed forced. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 Decades of scrolling have dulled our senses somewhat; this is inevitable. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 Imagine trying to swallow a sip of water while your face feels stuffed with congestion, your sense of taste is dulled and your body is floating 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth. — Sundeep Venkatesan, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulled
  1. dull
  2. faded
  3. blunted
  4. reduced
  5. bleached
  6. matte
  7. pale
  8. blunt
Adjective
  • Saving the best for last, Reiter was certainly a bright spot on an otherwise dull episode.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026
  • These gadgets work wonders for at-home maintenance between in-office treatments, or on their own as a pick-me-up—targeting everything from stubborn hair to dull skin.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • The interior swims in faded blues, mint greens and powdery neutrals with neoclassical moldings, offset by black lacquer, frosted glass, mosaics and polished metal.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The rooms Wonderfully classic, with swagged four-posters in the largest ones, a hefty whack of chintz and faded florals, pleated silk lampshades and open fireplaces.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of faded
Adjective
  • The results have been impressive enough from far away, but examined more closely as a blunted, external force, Big Brother has almost always been too literal in horror cinema.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
  • Orientation matters; garlic is planted vertically, with the root (blunted) end of the clove facing down, and the sprout (pointy) end facing up.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of blunted
Verb
  • Bassam Abed said at least 10 residences housing some 300 families were reduced to rubble, and families were not given enough time to flee.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That night’s show was reduced from 29 to 19 songs, between the concert running late from the interruption and Toomey likely not being able to duplicate Castronovo’s lead singing moments as well as his drumming.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Eco effort While over 80% of the reefs around the resort were bleached following the dramatic temperature rises of El Nino in 2016, the resort is throwing everything at its coral nursery and the green shoots are showing.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The large works seem to be on the verge of becoming ghostly, bleached by the same relentless Florida sunlight that makes Miami Beach so visually seductive.
    — Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleached
Adjective
  • The finish is a semi-matte—smooth, satin, and shine-free—that looks looks like velvet on the lips.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Its 85-inch QLED display features a highly matte anti-glare screen, so your art and movies look lifelike without annoying reflections.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of matte
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, women used toxic lead makeup to achieve what was viewed as a beautiful pale complexion.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Princess Diana memorably wore a pale blue halterneck dress by Walker at a dinner hosted by Vanity Fair magazine at the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park in London in June 1995.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • Fringe can be worn in many ways, from short blunt sides to wispy layers.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Her style is pithy and blunt, avoiding the ornate sentence structure of classical German.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of blunt

Browse Nearby Words

dullards
dulled
dulling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dulled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulled. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All