as in deadening
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1
as in reducing
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 bleaching
to make white or lighter by removing color
the painting's once-vivid colors have been dulled by time
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dulling
Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 1 May 2026
At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
Also, don't store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator—the coffee may absorb moisture and odors, dulling its flavor.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
There are gobs of money to be made selling enterprise software, but dulling the impact of AI is also a useful feint.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Here, in the eyes of the reluctant young scholar, was a vital antidote to the dulling effects of habit and routine.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Older workers face forced plateaus as organizations hesitate to invest in workers over 50, assuming their time is limited, minds are dulling, and retirement is imminent.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Protein shakes are an easy way to bridge the gap between mealtimes without dulling your appetite.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 28 Jan. 2026
Neuropathic pain comes from damaged or irritated nerves, and gabapentin targets the nerve signaling itself rather than just dulling pain.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
The al fresco dining area is covered with beige tents, dulling the landscape.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 1 May 2026
At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
Also, don't store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator—the coffee may absorb moisture and odors, dulling its flavor.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
There are gobs of money to be made selling enterprise software, but dulling the impact of AI is also a useful feint.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Here, in the eyes of the reluctant young scholar, was a vital antidote to the dulling effects of habit and routine.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Older workers face forced plateaus as organizations hesitate to invest in workers over 50, assuming their time is limited, minds are dulling, and retirement is imminent.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Protein shakes are an easy way to bridge the gap between mealtimes without dulling your appetite.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 28 Jan. 2026
Neuropathic pain comes from damaged or irritated nerves, and gabapentin targets the nerve signaling itself rather than just dulling pain.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulling
Verb
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Unfortunately, facilities at public parks and libraries close at nightfall, greatly reducing the number of bathrooms available.—
Michael Perkins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
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In the surgical procedure, a v-shape of the lower lid is removed thereby shortening the area and reducing the defect.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Verb
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She was also reportedly seen bleaching the inside of her car.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Once in a while, black flats compress the space, framing a single character’s face, bathed in a bleaching white light, as if their vulnerabilities were being scanned by an MRI.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now after four years of ongoing horrors in Ukraine, and more than two years of watching slaughter and suffering in Gaza, the latest war filling our feeds is just another numbing form of content, a digital arena in which competing forces try to assert conflicting viewpoints.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2026
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And that can be exhausting, numbing, and overwhelming.—
James Speyer,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But Death Stranding 2 had already been available for over a year on the PlayStation 5 when that leak happened, somewhat blunting its overall impact.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
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Preclinical research shows long-term estrogen deprivation epigenetically silences BDNF in the hippocampus, blunting the brain’s response to exercise over time.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
2 May 2026
Verb
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While fading blooms typically wilt or go limp, wilting of foliage or plant stems is a sign the plant is water stressed.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
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Avoid placing rugs in prolonged direct sunlight as this can cause fading.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Right before his death, Jackson had been given the powerful anesthetic propofol by his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2026
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The album’s ideal love is anesthetic, a script for surviving daily chaos and tragedy that doesn’t require reciprocation.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Both nationally and in Minnesota , there has been a shift away from intelligent discussion of public policy to endless partisan warfare with a deadening impact on the public.—
Arne Carlson,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Her strategy for brightening up the landscape?—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 May 2026
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The lighter hued varieties are perfect for brightening dark porches.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulling. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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