dulls

verb

present tense third-person singular of dull
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

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 dulls Key Takeaways Airborne hydrogen sulfide dulls silver, so many pieces need regular cleaning. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026 Oversaturating floors can result in mold or mildew growth, lifting, warping, or swelling, while the soap can also leave behind a residue that dulls the finish, creating a cloudy or streaky appearance. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026 But Aroonpheng’s worldbuilding is arcane to a fault, with no thanks to a weirdly flat rhythm that dulls the excitement of the film’s many narrative swerves. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Over time, these harsh or oily formulas leave behind residue that dulls the shine and attracts dirt, making your floors look cloudy instead of clean. — Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026 Perhaps the palm-tree mural emphasizes the open windowlessness of the subterranean, or the flat color dulls exertion. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 Your taste buds change at altitude Cabin pressure dulls your ability to taste salt by up to 30%, which is why airline food can taste bland and, well, terrible. — Cindy Dees, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 The 22-year-old was long considered ill-suited for grass, given how the surface dulls the athletic foundation of her game and rushes her forehand. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 July 2026 In those conditions, the same technology that dulls passive learning can dramatically expand human creativity. — Vicki Phillips, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulls
  1. reduces
  2. fades
  3. numbs
  4. bleaches
  5. deadens
  6. brightens
  7. diminishes
  8. weakens
Verb
  • Automating classification while reserving human review for high-risk cases strengthens governance, improves compliance and reduces the risk of sensitive data exposure.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Northrop Grumman slashes overall weight and reduces total part counts, manufacturing combat-ready autonomous jets at a fraction of typical costs.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • In comparison, carb-heavy or sugary foods like pasta and candy cause a sharp blood glucose spike that quickly fades, taking your energy with it.
    — Rachael Zimlich, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The best possibilities remain appealing after the excitement fades and the practical part finally enters the room.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of fades
Verb
  • The slime of some species also numbs an attacker’s tongue, protecting them from predators.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026
  • This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Definition of numbs
Verb
  • Martin uses a color extractor to remove existing dye, then bleaches the hair (except the gray roots) to get it as light as possible.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of bleaches
Verb
  • Oppressively hot, lie-down-and-take-a-nap hot, hydration-break hot, the kind of hot that deadens feet.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
Definition of deadens
Verb
  • At this, Newsom brightens, mentioning a framed photograph at home, a black-and-white image of Kennedy kneeling in front of a young boy next to an old beat-up car.
    — Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Hydrogen peroxide brightens whites and removes stains without damaging fabric like bleach.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of brightens
Verb
  • When the quantum of color deposited by the brush diminishes, and grows lighter, its essence as paint applied by brush reveals itself.
    — Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The impressive density of this overload, which embraces the possibilities of relatively new technology to find novel ways to deliver and compress context, diminishes as Carter is drawn to Japan by Izumi Adachi (Kiko Mizuhara).
    — Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • Fink said the churn weakens the tie between a worker and an employer.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Opponents argue the proposal weakens environmental protections, stifles community input and could fast-track projects like data centers and freeways.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakens

Browse Nearby Words

dullness
dulls
dullsville
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Cite this Entry

“Dulls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulls. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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