dull

1 of 2

adjective

1
: tedious, uninteresting
dull lectures
2
: lacking sharpness of edge or point
a dull knife
3
a
: not resonant or ringing
a dull booming sound
b
: lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness
a dull ache
4
: lacking brilliance or luster
a dull finish
5
: cloudy
dull weather
6
of a color : low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a) and low in lightness
a dull green
7
: mentally slow : stupid
8
a
: slow in perception or sensibility : insensible
somewhat dull of hearing
dull to what went on about herWilla Cather
b
: lacking zest (see zest sense 2) or vivacity : listless
a dull performance
9
: slow in action : sluggish
dull markets
dullness noun
or less commonly dulness
dully adverb

dull

2 of 2

verb

dulled; dulling; dulls

transitive verb

: to make dull
dull a knife's edge

intransitive verb

: to become dull
The blade dulled with use.
Choose the Right Synonym for dull

dull, blunt, obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute.

dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency.

a dull pain
a dull mind

blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception.

a person of blunt sensibility

obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination.

too obtuse to take the hint

synonyms see in addition stupid

Example Sentences

Adjective the dull roar of the crowd the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it Verb Fog dulled the morning sunlight. Special earplugs dulled the sound of the chain saw. His hair dulled as he aged. The dog's eyes dulled as he got sick. She takes medicine to dull the pain. Fear dulled his need for adventure. The knife was dulled from use. The blade should be replaced as soon as it dulls. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Legacy is an incredibly dull mid-size sedan that comes across more like a Japanese Buick than a street-legal rally machine posing as a four-door family car. Nicholas Wallace, Car and Driver, 21 Mar. 2023 In those situations, rig it externally on a traditional ball or darter head, though either will slightly dull its action. Pete M. Anderson, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2023 Sharpen a blade that’s dull (not damaged), using a file. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 17 Mar. 2023 Unlike most peelers, which usually only have so long a lifetime before their blades dull, the Forever Peeler comes with a replacement blade. Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2023 Add the bouquet garni to the pot and simmer until the chicken is super tender and the broth is very flavorful, 30 to 45 minutes (adding the herb package too early can cause the flavors to cook away completely or become dull). Good Housekeeping, 14 Mar. 2023 The pressure caused by this backup causes a dull ache around your eyes, greenish-yellow discharge from your nose, pounding headaches—and sometimes, a swollen face. Alexis Jones, Women's Health, 14 Mar. 2023 This is for obvious reasons: The current AI tools are prone to both errors and bias, and often produce dull, unoriginal writing. Gideon Lichfield, WIRED, 2 Mar. 2023 Still, in a movie this dull, a preposterous whopper is preferable to the flavorless sludge that has preceded it. Rene Rodriguez, Variety, 2 Mar. 2023
Verb
And after all this time, even a pandemic couldn't dull its luster. Harper's Bazaar Staff, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Feb. 2023 While all that admirably gifts the picture with a bright effervescence, its blights dull its impact, leading to a slight case of rigor mortis. Courtney Howard, Variety, 1 Dec. 2022 But in a new preview of the film, a villainous laugh threatens to dull her light and drown out her voice. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2022 If such news can raise doubts about other signs of weakness, three considerations dull the force of any such counterargument. Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022 Rising theft—and stores’ measures to prevent it—could dull that edge. Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022 It can be used to dull aches and pains and tame a fever. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2023 Users built up a tolerance to the drugs and needed more and more to dull their pain — or achieve their high. Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2023 Though be advised that some high water pressure and detergents can dull the edge and loosen the handle. Audrey Bruno, SELF, 27 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dull.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English dul; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dull was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near dull

Cite this Entry

“Dull.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dull. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

dull

1 of 2 adjective
1
: mentally slow : stupid
2
3
: slow in action : sluggish
4
: lacking sharpness of edge or point
5
: lacking brilliance or luster
6
: not ringing, sharp, or intense
a dull roar
7
8
: tedious, uninteresting
a dull lecture
9
: slightly grayish
a dull blue
dullness noun
also dulness
dully adverb

dull

2 of 2 verb
: to make or become dull

Medical Definition

dull

adjective
1
: mentally slow or stupid
2
: slow in perception or sensibility
3
: lacking sharpness of edge or point
a dull scalpel
4
: lacking in force, intensity, or acuteness
a dull pain
dull verb
dullness noun
or dulness
dully adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dull

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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