dulling 1 of 2

adjective

as in deadening

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dulling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dull
1
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling the aspirin dulled his headache and he was soon feeling better

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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

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
Verb
Eyesafe technology cuts blue light without dulling the color, which is easier on your eyes during long work days. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Sep. 2026 Storing knives loose in a drawer and scrubbing them too zealously creates a fine network of scratches, further dulling the finish. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026 To protect himself, however, Trask has created an inhibitor field that de-powers any mutant nearby, dulling Wolverine’s healing power and ferocity. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 Here are the cleaning mistakes that could be dulling your hardwood floors’ shine, as well as the simple fixes to restore their finish. — Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026 Your diplomatic touch can set kind boundaries without dulling your warmth. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026 Blurring bamboo silk powders keep shine in check without dulling skin, while camellia seed oil and antioxidant-rich vitamin E help mature complexions look smooth, hydrated, and naturally luminous. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 June 2026 The danger is heavy-handed protections for Eskom will suppress wholesale prices, dulling market signals investors need for further investment in the sector, and effectively rebranding the old monopoly. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 15 June 2026 At some point, the bracket creep is going to overreach into the point of diminishing marginal returns — dulling regular seasons and perhaps ultimately even eventually interest in the postseasons. — Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulling
  1. numbing
  2. reducing
  3. bleaching
  4. anesthetic
  5. blunting
  6. fading
  7. settling
  8. deadening
Adjective
  • Just the unyielding betrayals of the flesh and the numbing sense that none of this had to happen.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Jane Schoenbrun’s latest movie, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, is shocking, emotional, provocative, numbing, warm, witty, and surreal.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of numbing
Verb
  • The answer may be different if the goal is reducing overall homelessness, helping people into the job market, spending as little taxpayer money as possible, improving health outcomes — or just keeping people alive.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Like morphine and fentanyl, cychlorphine locks onto the brain’s mu-opioid receptors, reducing pain and increasing euphoria.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • The researchers first treated the cotton with sodium dithionite, a reducing agent, before bleaching it with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Discoloration to Your Driveway Commercial weed killers can stain driveways by leaving behind white chalky residues, bleaching the stone, or damaging protective surface sealers.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026
Definition of bleaching
Adjective
  • Because of their large size, giraffes are challenging to move and position appropriately for anesthetic procedures.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2026
  • Because there is a depersonalized, anesthetic quality to it.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026
Definition of anesthetic
Verb
  • The law is aimed at blunting financial scams that often target older adults, which frequently include prompting victims to withdraw large sums of money at once.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Semaglutide can hook into this system, blunting the usual pleasure from eating high-fat and sugary treats.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of blunting
Verb
  • Fixed on a mobile rig that will at times careen and whoosh across the stage when not otherwise holding on Winter, Anderson’s camera catches the expressionism and chiaroscuro of stage lights illuminating and fading off the singer’s face.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But hopes of winning the two states have been fading, and the GOP is increasingly focused on playing defense elsewhere with five weeks until the midterm elections.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of fading
Adjective
  • Dylan’s attorney, Kerry Garvis Wright, countered by saying a non-settling defendant such as Scott is only entitled to an offset for settlement of economic damages.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Individuals who remain in the class and submit valid claims release their rights to sue Cargill or Tyson over the same allegations, but retain any rights against non-settling defendants.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Definition of settling
Verb
  • Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1.
    — Dave Montrose, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026
Definition of deadening

Browse Nearby Words

dulled
dulling
dullish
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Cite this Entry

“Dulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulling. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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