1
as in reduces
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the aspirin dulled his headache and he was soon feeling better
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fades
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
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Recent Examples of dulls
Insisting on noninterference, Beijing offers foreign leaders capital and legitimacy without requiring transparency, human rights safeguards, or competitive elections—a model that strengthens incumbents and dulls democratic accountability.
—
Jane Harman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
None of that dulls the original game, nor its portrayal of Alma.
—Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Its influence ricocheted through decades of homages, from Madonna to Ryan Gosling, proof that a perfect jewel-box tableau never dulls.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
The result can be a culture that restores its edge daily, rather than one that dulls until a major transformation is forced.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Using too much detergent can lead to residue buildup in the towel fibers, which traps dirt and dulls the white color over time.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
The only thing that occasionally dulls his pain is opioid use, as the British prison has a thriving drug-trading industry involving a variety of goods and services.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately, jet lag dulls the Bolts’ spark in a close battle that ends in a Fins win.
—Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2025
The result is a misaligned affordability signal that dulls incentives to adapt and crowds out private innovation.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Jane Harman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
None of that dulls the original game, nor its portrayal of Alma.
—Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Its influence ricocheted through decades of homages, from Madonna to Ryan Gosling, proof that a perfect jewel-box tableau never dulls.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
The result can be a culture that restores its edge daily, rather than one that dulls until a major transformation is forced.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Using too much detergent can lead to residue buildup in the towel fibers, which traps dirt and dulls the white color over time.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
The only thing that occasionally dulls his pain is opioid use, as the British prison has a thriving drug-trading industry involving a variety of goods and services.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately, jet lag dulls the Bolts’ spark in a close battle that ends in a Fins win.
—Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2025
The result is a misaligned affordability signal that dulls incentives to adapt and crowds out private innovation.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulls
Verb
-
According to the company, this reduces inventory burdens, streamlines logistics, and shortens installation timelines.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This greatly reduces environmental concerns related to legacy waste.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The notion of grief gradually fades into the backdrop, finally re-emerging in a manner that is, thanks to the film’s lumpy tonal mixture, more confusing than emotionally cleansing.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
-
While being stuck at home for several days might feel fun and cozy at first, that novelty fades fast.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Cold water immersion constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling, numbs sore areas, and flushes lactic acid from the muscles.—
Outside,
Outside,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
His owner, Hannah Gleason from Oklahoma, told Newsweek that the merle gene isn’t a coloring gene rather than a gene that bleaches the fur and causes lack of pigmentation which can lead to birth defects, blindness, deafness, or sometimes all three.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Creative play brightens, and feelings gently soften as the Moon leaps into your 5th House of Affection.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Seeking a vitamin C that brightens without irritation?—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As data center revenue starts to dominate sales, hyperscale ASIC initiatives transition into sustained volume, and customer diversification diminishes earnings variability, Marvell begins to resemble less of a cyclical component supplier and more of a structural AI infrastructure platform.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The biography is presented as a clear-eyed and evenhanded examination of Reid’s complex legacy that neither whitewashes his methods nor diminishes his accomplishments.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When CEOs treat financial advice as a substitute for judgment, leadership starts to erode, decisions slow down, and conviction weakens.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s focus on the Western Hemisphere — as a show of might that weakens China’s geostrategic influence, Nikkei wrote.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By this decade, your body has started to naturally lose muscle mass, and putting on new muscle may be more difficult due to anabolic resistance, which blunts the muscle’s ability to respond to external stimuli like exercise and protein.—
Emma Loewe,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
-
For Sanders, landing and holding a blue-chip defensive back during a losing season is a massive recruiting win that blunts any narratives of recruits fleeing the program.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dulls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulls. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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