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

Examples of dull in a Sentence

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The world’s architects and city planners need to be driven to stop filling cities with dull buildings, the designer and founder of Heatherwick Studio believes. Rob Reddick, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 Tension-type headaches on Earth usually are a more dull pain felt over the entire head without those other symptoms, Van Oosterhout added. Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 These boards are double-sided and made from a durable plastic material that won’t dull knife blades, and the soft edges double as convenient handles. Rachael Hogg, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2024 This color should evoke creativity in the garden, brightening up dark corners and dull landscapes alike. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 Is your hair color feeling dull, but your highlighting appointment is a month away? Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024 Often, the type of knee pain—which can crop up at the front under your kneecap, along the side, or in the muscles surrounding the joint—that occurs with aging tends to be dull and achy. Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 14 Feb. 2024 Other bullfighters say the same: that the ring is another plane of existence, that life is sped up, concentrated, with all the dull bits removed. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 The blade eventually becomes dull, and opening cans may become a frustrating task. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
However, the film’s various entry points into these flashbacks follow no consistent structure or logic, which dulls their emotional impact. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 Photos show the spark brittle star’s orange coloring while alive and dulled yellow tones after being preserved. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 The passage of time further dulls recollections of who did what to whom. David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 It’ll get rid of gunk without stripping hair or dulling color, leaving it softer and more manageable. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Magnetic knife blocks can also hold knives by the flat part of the blade, which keeps the sharp end away from anything that could dull it. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024 To see its crowning jewel dulling in some metrics has led investors to question how gains will be made in the future. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2023 But that doesn't dull the intensity of Neil Marshall's claustrophobic nail-biter, which begins as a bloody exercise in survival horror before shifting into a nightmarish creature feature. Katie Rife, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023 Just as Binoche’s gifts elevated the earlier film, the key asset here is Gael García Bernal, who brings a depth of feeling too often dulled elsewhere by the fussy future-tech details of the central premise. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024

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 28 Mar. 2024.

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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