dreary

adjective

drea·​ry ˈdrir-ē 

drearier; dreariest

1

: feeling, displaying, or reflecting listlessness or discouragement

cheer a dreary mind

—George Berkeley

2

: having nothing likely to provide cheer, comfort, or interest : gloomy, dismal

a cold, dreary morning

drearily

ˈdrir-ə-lē 

adverb

dreariness

ˈdrir-ē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• black
• bleak
• cheerless
• chill
• Cimmerian
• cloudy
• cold
• comfortless
• dark
• darkening
• depressing
• depressive
• desolate
• dire
• disconsolate
• dismal
• drear
• dreich [chiefly Scottish]
• elegiac
• elegiacal
• forlorn
• funereal
• gloomy
• glum
• godforsaken
• gray
• grey
• lonely
• lonesome
• lugubrious
• miserable
• morbid
• morose
• murky
• plutonian
• saturnine
• sepulchral
• solemn
• somber
• sombre
• sullen
• sunless
• tenebrific
• tenebrous
• wretched

Choose the Right Synonym for dreary

dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort.

dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

Examples of dreary in a Sentence

It was a gray, dreary morning.

The family struggled through dreary economic times.

Recent Examples on the Web

Inside a dreary Lower Manhattan courtroom on a recent Wednesday, Justice Juan M. Merchan convened a special session for people with mental health troubles who had landed in legal jeopardy. —William K. Rashbaum, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024

Despite the dreary downpour outside, the New Museum’s Spring Gala honoring George Condo and Mickalene Thomas—hosted at Cipriani South Street—was a Garden of Eden in full bloom. —Maia Torres, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024

Weather experts say this system is only the start of a cool and wet pattern, making for a pretty dreary kickoff of spring. —Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024

The second act, in particular, is mired by the dreary love triangle between Jacob, Marlena and her abusive husband (Paul Alexander Nolan), although the compelling McCalla tries her damnedest with the little that her leading men give her. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024

There was also a dreary blowout against Gonzaga in November 2021 before the heartbreaker against the Bulldogs during the Sweet 16 last year. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024

Scott Mowbray and Anne Taylor Pittman, coauthors of 'The Global Pantry' cookbook, share their recipe for Garlic and Herb Turkey Meatballs Anne Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray have some tricks for turning turkey from dreary to cheery. —Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024

What else explains the popularity of this dreary enterprise? —Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2024

Sylvain Sonnet/Gett Florida cruise vacations are on the rise To get away from the dreary climate, Americans are dreaming of sunny getaways, paired with pools, beaches, and outdoor activities. —Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English drery, from Old English drēorig sad, bloody, from drēor gore; akin to Old High German trūrēn to be sad, Goth driusan to fall

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dreary

adjective

drea·​ry ˈdri(ə)r-ē 

drearier

ˈdrir-ē-ər

; dreariest

: having nothing that provides cheer, comfort, or interest

drearily

ˈdrir-ə-lē 

adverb

dreariness

ˈdrir-ē-nəs 

noun