View synonyms for dull

dull

[ duhl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

duller, dullest.

not sharp; blunt:
a dull knife.
Antonyms: keen, sharp
causing boredom; tedious; uninteresting:
a dull sermon.
Synonyms: vapid, dreary, tiresome, boring
Antonyms: interesting
not lively or spirited; listless.
Synonyms: inert, inactive, torpid, apathetic
not bright, intense, or clear; dim:
a dull day; a dull sound.
having very little depth of color; lacking in richness or intensity of color.
slow in motion or action; not brisk; sluggish:
a dull day in the stock market.
mentally slow; lacking brightness of mind; somewhat stupid; obtuse.
Synonyms: unimaginative, stolid, unintelligent
Antonyms: bright
lacking keenness of perception in the senses or feelings; insensible; unfeeling.
not intense or acute:
a dull pain.

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become dull.
Synonyms: benumb, deaden, blunt, discourage, dishearten, depress

dull

/ dʌl /

adjective

slow to think or understand; stupid
lacking in interest
lacking in perception or the ability to respond; insensitive
lacking sharpness; blunt
not acute, intense, or piercing
(of weather) not bright or clear; cloudy
not active, busy, or brisk
lacking in spirit or animation; listless
(of colour) lacking brilliance or brightness; sombre
not loud or clear; muffled
med (of sound elicited by percussion, esp of the chest) not resonant

verb

to make or become dull

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Derived Forms

ˈdully, adverb
ˈdullish, adjective
ˈdullness, noun

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Other Words From

dullness dulness noun
dully adverb
un·dulled adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dull¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English; akin to Old English dol “foolish, stupid”; cognate with German toll

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dull¹

Old English dol; related to Old Norse dul conceit, Old High German tol foolish, Greek tholeros confused

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Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with dull , also see never a dull moment .

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Synonym Study

Dull, blunt refer to the edge or point of an instrument, tool, or the like. Dull implies a lack or a loss of keenness or sharpness: a dull razor or saw. Blunt may mean the same or may refer to an edge or point not intended to be keen or sharp: a blunt or stub pen; a blunt foil. Dull, blunt, slow, stupid are applied to mental qualities. Dull implies obtuseness, lack of imagination: a dull child. Blunt implies loss of original keenness of intelligence through disease, sad experience, or the like: His critical faculties were blunt. Slow applies to a sluggish intellect: a slow mind. Stupid implies slowness of mental processes, but also lack of intelligence, wisdom, prudence, etc.: a stupid person.

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Example Sentences

More than a century later, fine particles of pollution still clung to its feathers, dulling what once was a scarlet red breast to a mottled gray.

From Los Angeles Times

As it stands, the prospects for global growth in 2025 have dulled, but a recession appears very unlikely.

From BBC

The camera holds on a tight shot of a tomato being butchered by a dull kitchen knife, juice and seeds spilling out as the fruit splits down its sides.

From Salon

Morgan's rebuild was remarkable, it progressed all the way to Lord's in 2019, but it began at a distinct path, with England playing dull, dated cricket.

From BBC

Famous for his experimental dishes such as snail porridge and bacon and egg ice cream, Blumenthal said medication initially dulled his culinary imagination.

From BBC

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

dulia dullard

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