Definition of dull - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
1.
edgenot sharp or pointed
- The knife was too dull to cut the meat properly..
2.
colorlacking brightness or vividness
- The room was painted in dull shades of gray..
3.
boringnot interesting or exciting
- The lecture was so dull that several students fell asleep..
4.
weatherUK cloudy and overcastUK
- The sky was dull and gray all day.
5.
energysluggish and listless
- She felt dull after the long flight.
6.
healthnot intense and felt indistinctly
- She had a dull ache in her back.
7.
muffled soundnot clear and muffled
- The music was dull through the walls.
8.
- He felt dull compared to his classmates.
Verb
1.
bluntmake a sharp object less sharp
- He dulled the knife with constant use.
2.
emotionreduce the intensity of a feeling
- The medicine dulled her pain.
3.
interestmake something less lively or interesting
- The long lecture dulled the students' attention.
4.
appearanceintr. become less bright or shinyintr.
- The silverware dulled over time.
5.
intensityintr. become less intense or livelyintr.
- His enthusiasm dulled after the initial excitement.
Expressions with dull
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extremely boring or uninteresting
The lecture was dull as dishwater.
reduce the sharpness of perception
The medication can dull the senses, making it hard to concentrate.
constantly busy with activities or events
In this job, there's never a dull moment.
extremely boring or lacking in interest
The lecture was dishwater dull and hard to sit through.
having colors that are not bright or vivid
The bird has dull-colored feathers.
continuous, low-intensity pain
The dull pain in his knee made it hard to concentrate.
skin that lacks brightness or radiance
She used a face mask to treat her dull skin.
extremely boring or uninteresting
The lecture was deadly dull and hard to sit through.
having a white color that is not bright or clear
The walls were painted a dull-white that seemed to absorb the light..
cause reading to be boring or uninteresting
The report makes dull reading for most people.
lacking excitement or liveliness
The movie was as dull as dishwater with no thrilling scenes.
not attentive or slow to understand
He seemed dull of hearing during the lecture.
having a muted shade of purple
The walls were painted a dull-purple.
not quick to understand or think clearly
He is too dull-witted to solve this puzzle.
extremely boring or lacking excitement or liveliness
This movie is dull as ditchwater.
extremely boring or uninteresting
The lecture was as dull as ditchwater and put everyone to sleep.
Origin of dull
Old English, dol (foolish)
Terms with dull included in their meaning
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color
dull or deeper in hue; not bright
dull edge
make an edge or point less sharp
dull
not interesting or exciting
mood
dull or lacking in cheerfulness
military
dull green color used in military uniforms
kitchen utensil
dull-edged knife for spreading butter
color
dull yellowish-brown color
medical
sharp or dull pain in the knee area
dull colors
colors that are not bright or intense
heavy sound
sound of a dull heavy impact
sound
make a dull heavy sound
impact
hit something causing a dull sound
dull bang
sound of a heavy object hitting something
sound
make a loud dull sound
impact
heavy blow with a dull sound
sound
dull, heavy sound made by impact
sound
making a series of dull sounds
sound
dull, heavy sound made by a solid object
dull
lacking interest or excitement
art
dull in color or lacking gloss
boredom
something tedious or dull
personal attitude
neutral or dull in character or opinion
dull
lacking spirit or animation
physical pain
continuous dull pain in the body
Examples of dull in a sentence
He used a dull pencil to sketch the outline. The artist used dull colors to convey sadness. His shirt was a dull shade of brown. The movie was so dull that I almost walked out. His dull speech failed to capture the audience's attention. The dull weather made the day feel endless.
A dull sky loomed over the city, threatening rain. The lecture was so dull that I almost fell asleep. His dull demeanor made the meeting drag on. He felt a dull pressure behind his eyes. A dull pain lingered in her knee after the run. The conversation was dull and barely audible. His voice was dull over the phone. The dull student struggled with basic math problems. Her dull remarks made the conversation boring. The whetstone was used to dull the blade intentionally. Repeated cutting of hard materials can dull scissors. The music dulled his anxiety. Her words dulled the sharpness of his anger. The movie dulled his excitement. The rain dulled the festival's atmosphere. The paint dulled after years of sun exposure. The once vibrant fabric dulled with each wash. The music dulled as the batteries ran low. Her pain dulled after she rested.
View all translations of dull
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:émoussé, émousser, ...
- German:stumpf, stumpf machen, ...
- Italian:smussato, smussare, ...
- Spanish:desafilado, desafilar, ...
- Portuguese:sem corte, embotar, ...
- Chinese:不锋利的, 磨钝, ...
- Japanese:鈍い, 鈍らせる, ...
- Arabic:كَلِيل, أَكْلَل, ...
- Hebrew:קֵהֶה, לְהַקְהוֹת, ...
- Russian:тупой, затупить, ...
- Ukrainian:тупий, затупити, ...
- Hindi:भोथा, भोंथरा करना, ...
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