as in deadening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulling
Verb
-
Companies and Customers are Leading As global markets prioritize clean technologies, major corporations are staying the course on their goals for reducing carbon pollution and propelling innovation.—
Mindy Lubber,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025 -
State governments, as well as drug manufacturers, provide financial help to the uninsured, often reducing the cost of PrEP medicines to zero.—
James K. Glassman,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Similarly, bleaching with chemicals like permanganate or hypochlorite, which consumes substantial water, can be replaced by ozone bleaching using air, significantly reducing water usage and simplifying the drying process.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Dec. 2024
-
To keep their golden color, sultanas are treated with sulfur dioxide, a bleaching preservative that prevents them from oxidizing (turning brown) and retains their quality and uniform color.—
Lauren O'Connor, MS,
Health,
29 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Some critics and documentary filmmakers say that mandate is reductive and numbing.—
Michael Powell,
New York Times,
25 Sep. 2022
-
Aside from being scientifically fascinating, the special effect of these peppercorns is also a key component of Sichuan cuisine’s greatest gift to the culinary world, a numbing and spicy flavor profile known as málà.—
Chala Tyson Tshitundu,
Bon Appétit,
29 Sep. 2021
Adjective
-
But his career took a devastating hit in 2021 when he was convicted of regular, unprescribed use of the powerful anesthetic propofol.—
Patrick Brzeski,
The Hollywood Reporter,
10 Mar. 2025
-
To commit the killings, the doctor allegedly administered an anesthetic inducer and a muscle relaxant to his patients without their knowledge or consent, according to prosecutors.—
Lesley Cosme Torres,
People.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The tires also contain a sound-deadening foam that contributes to the Optiq’s quiet cabin.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Here was an invention no one had asked for, that promised to upend perfectly good industries while further deadening the American intellect and locking in place the political biases of post-Covid Biden-crats.—
Caroline Downey,
National Review,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The forecast came in the wake of its sudden dimming during 2023 after a decade of gradually brightening.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Trader stepped outside, into the brightening gray, and placed an FPV drone on a wooden stool resting on its side.—
C.J. Chivers Robert Fass Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak,
New York Times,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
But the same things that prevent parents from maintaining employment or housing — especially substance abuse and mental illness — often inhibit them from engaging in services, while also diminishing their ability to protect and care for their children.—
Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Naomi Schaefer Riley,
Twin Cities,
13 Apr. 2025
-
After his round, the Irishman did not tolerate the media diminishing his spot in the tournament.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The term is an adjective that has also become a noun, describing one of the most common analgesic procedures available in modern medicine.—
Stephen C. George,
Discover Magazine,
20 Feb. 2025
-
The analgesic drugs that are typically prescribed for short-term pain—such as following an injury or surgery—work by either reducing the inflammation that causes pain or changing how the brain perceives pain.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Dulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulling. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share