as in deadening
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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 dulling
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
And Chinese exporters diverted flows through Southeast Asia and Mexico, dulling the effects of tariffs even as headline restrictions intensified.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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
And Chinese exporters diverted flows through Southeast Asia and Mexico, dulling the effects of tariffs even as headline restrictions intensified.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulling
Verb
-
The station initially bridged the sudden budget gap last year by reaching out to donors directly and reducing costs to bring down overhead.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The figure skater actually began bleaching her own hair with a paintbrush—and only brought in a professional right before the 2026 Winter Olympics.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
And that can be exhausting, numbing, and overwhelming.—
James Speyer,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Iran continued to export nearly 2 million barrels of oil each day through the strait, blunting some of the supply loss, according to energy data firm Kpler.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The launches underscored continuing tensions between the Koreas, blunting South Korean hopes for warmer relations.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The cast iron ensures even heat distribution and the enamel iresists fading, chipping, cracking, and staining.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Shapiro-Ikenberry led through most of the first half of the race before fading to seventh.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The singer's 2009 death was officially attributed to the legal anesthetic propofol.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
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
-
The key window is April 10-20, when the comet is brightening but not yet too deeply embedded in the sun's glare.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Ferulic acid boosts that brightening trio, while niacinamide and tangerine peel extract help even things out over time.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulling. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
