drably

/ˈdræb.li/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdræb.li/ (ame, ipa)

drably — adverb

1. done or made in a plain, dull way so that nothing about the appearance or atmosp

1.副詞C1
釋義

done or made in a plain, dull way so that nothing about the appearance or atmosphere feels interesting, colourful, or lively.

例句

The hotel lobby was drably decorated in shades of grey and beige.

collocation: drably decorated

Mei wore a drably coloured coat that did nothing to lift her spirits.

collocation: drably coloured

同義詞
  • dully

    more general — can describe sound, colour, or intensity, not just appearance

  • drearily

    adds a sense of sadness or gloom beyond just plainness

  • plainly

    neutral — suggests simplicity rather than a negative judgement

  • colourlessly

    more literal; focuses specifically on lack of colour

反義詞
  • brightly

    opposite in both colourfulness and visual interest

  • vividly

    suggests strong, clear colours and liveliness

文法句型

modifies verb (drably decorated/dressed/painted)

modifies adjective (drably coloured/uniform)

用法筆記

Commonly pairs with past participles that describe how something looks or is arranged — decorated, painted, dressed, lit, coloured. The adverb itself carries a mildly critical tone.

常見錯誤

❌She dressed drab for the meeting.
✅She dressed drably for the meeting.
💡'drably' is the adverb form needed to describe how she dressed; 'drab' is an adjective.