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
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 For long daytime hours, the sky seemed draped in the dull gray garb of winter. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2024 The radiator cloud filled the sky, at first just a dull red mist. Karl Schroeder, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Feb. 2024 At 133 minutes, the doc runs long but never dull, given the generosity of attention lavished on almost the entire Powell and Pressburger filmography. Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 Or rejuvenate dull skin with a new Herbal Bliss Treatment; a zesty Privai ginger and walnut scrub followed by a 50-minute CBD massage. Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Service on a non-profit’s board of directors is mostly dull work, but occasionally extremely stressful. Bill Conerly, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Direct, harsh sunshine can raise interior temperatures, fade wood floors and dull cabinet finishes, dry out leather, and wash out fabrics. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2024
Verb
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 Has Died Russian Prison Service Says A case of unfortunate timing Sharing the consequences of the current dramatic fall in passengers equally with James Richardson—part of Australia’s James Richardson Group led by the Danos family—would have dulled the pain somewhat. Kevin Rozario, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 The most popular is a magnetic strip, which eliminates the possibility of dulling the knife against wood altogether. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2024 Today, however, an increasingly media literate generation may see it as antagonistic to star power, dulling a celebrity’s personality. Emma Madden, New York Times, 27 Jan. 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 19 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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