Synonyms for

Dull

Verb / dʌl / Another word for dull — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

lacking interest or excitement; boring

Synonyms & similar words

tonedown wearisome leaden damp pall mute sharp boring dim dumb obtuse dampen hohum sluggish thudding tiresome muffle numb bright muted lively tedious sharpen softened slow boring tedious uninteresting monotonous dreary lifeless unexciting dullsville humdrum tiresome wearisome uninspired unvaried stale flat prosaic drab colorless banal vapid

Synonyms by register

Formal

uninteresting tedious monotonous lackluster

Informal

boring lame blah meh

Literary

leaden somber wan

Antonyms

bright sharp vivid exciting interesting lively intelligent

Common collocations

  • dull ache
  • dull knife
  • dull pain
  • dull thud
  • dull roar
  • dull colors
  • dull wit

Word family

noun dullness
adjective dull
adverb dully

Usage note

Can refer to a lack of sharpness (e.g., a dull knife) or a lack of interest or excitement (e.g., a dull day). Avoid using 'dull' to describe people's intelligence, as it can be considered offensive.

Example sentences

  1. The lecture was so dull, I fell asleep.
  2. The gray sky made the day seem dull.
  3. The pencil was dull and needed to be sharpened.
  4. The book was dull at the beginning but got more interesting later.
  5. The party was dull without any music.

Quotes

  • A mind too active is no less harmful than one that is dull. - Carl Jung
  • You don't realize how much you rely on your sense of hearing until it's taken away from you. Everything becomes flat, dull and muted. - Rachel Joyce
  • It is a dull sensation, your heart breaking, like the sound of a pebble dropping on the sand. Not a shattering, not a tearing apart, there is nothing shrill or grandiose about the sensation. It is merely an internal realization that something treasured you never knew you had is leaving forever. - Samantha Bruce-Benjamin

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