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- Dictionarydull/dʌl/
adjective
- 1. lacking interest or excitement: "your diet doesn't have to be dull and boring" Similar uninterestingboringtedioustiresomewearisomedrydry as dustflatblandcharacterlessfeaturelesscolourlessmonotonousunexcitinguninspiringunstimulatinglacking varietylacking variationlacking excitementlacking interestunimaginativeuneventfullifelesssoullessinsipidunoriginalderivativecommonplaceprosaicrun-of-the-millhumdrumunremarkablebanallameploddingponderouspedestrianinformal:dull as dishwaterdeadlyno great shakesnot up to muchdreichdullsvilleorneryOpposite interesting
- ▪ (of a person) feeling bored and dispirited: archaic "she said she wouldn't be dull and lonely"
- 2. lacking brightness, vividness, or sheen: "his face glowed in the dull lamplight" Similar drabdrearysombredarksubduedmutedtoned downlacklustrelustrelesscolourlessfadedwashed outmuddywaterypaleliterary:subfuscOpposite bright
- ▪ (of the weather) overcast; gloomy: "next morning dawned dull" Similar overcastcloudygloomydarkdimdismaldrearybleaksombregreyleadenmurkysunlesslouringliterary:subfuscOpposite sunnybright
- ▪ (of sound) not clear; muffled: "a dull thud of hooves" Similar muffledmutedquietsoftsoftenedfaintindistinctstifledsmotheredsuppressedOpposite loudresonant
- ▪ (of pain) indistinctly felt; not acute: "there was a dull pain in his lower jaw"
- ▪ (of an edge or blade) blunt: "when cutting hard rock the edge soon became dull" Similar bluntbluntednot sharpunkeenunsharpeneddullededgelessworn downOpposite sharp
- ▪ (of activity) sluggish or slow-moving: "shares closed weaker after a day of dull trading" Similar slacksluggishflatslowslow-movingquietinactivestaticstagnantdepressedsluggishlethargicenervatedunenergeticlistlesslanguidtorpidinactiveinertslowslow-movingsleepysomnolentdrowsywearytiredfatiguedheavyapatheticinformal:dozydopeyyawnylogyasthenicneurasthenicarchaic:lymphaticOpposite brisklively
- 3. (of a person) slow to understand; stupid: "the voice of a teacher talking to a rather dull child" Similar unintelligentstupidslowdull-wittedslow-wittedwitlessdoltishdunce-likestolidvacuousempty-headedbrainlessmindlessfoolishhalf-wittedidioticmoronicimbeciliccretinousobtuseinformal:densedimdim-wittedthickdumbdopeydozylamebrainedpig-ignorantbovineslow on the uptakesoft in the headbrain-deadboneheadedchuckleheadeddunderheadedwooden-headedfat-headedmuttonheadeddaftnot the full shillingthick as two short planksvulgar slang:dumb-assOpposite clever
- ▪ (of a person's senses) not perceiving things distinctly. archaic
verb
- 1. make or become dull or less intense: "time dulls the memory" Similar lessendecreasediminishreducedampendepresstake the edge offbluntdeadenmutesoftentone downallayeasesootheassuagealleviatepalliatemoderatemitigatenumbbenumbdeadendesensitizerender insensitivestupefydazestundrugsedatetranquillizenarcotizerare:torpefyobtundfadepalebleachwash outdecolorizedecolourdimetiolatedarkenblackendimblurveilobscureshadowfogliterary:bedimdampenput a damper oncast a pall overcast downlowerdepresscrushshakesapsuppressextinguishsmotherstifleOpposite intensifyenlivenenhancebrightenbrightenraise
Word Origin Old Englishdol ‘stupid’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dol ‘crazy’ and German toll ‘mad, fantastic, wonderful’.
Derivatives
- 1. dullish adjective
Scrabble Points: 5
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