dull
dull — adjective
- dullpositive
- dullercomparative
- dullestsuperlative
1. not interesting, exciting, or enjoyable in any way; boring to experience or enga
not interesting, exciting, or enjoyable in any way; boring to experience or engage with
The lecture on tax law was so dull that half the students fell asleep.
collocation: so dull that-clause for result
Anong found the museum exhibition rather dull because most displays were just old photographs.
After three dull meetings in a row, Yara suggested they change the way they ran things.
Greta put down the novel after fifty pages because the plot was too dull to hold her interest.
The documentary was so dull that Christopher switched it off halfway through.
collocation: so dull that + result clause
- dull lecture
- dull movie
- dull book
- dull conversation
- dull routine
- boring
more common in everyday speech; same meaning
- tedious
stronger; implies the thing goes on too long
- monotonous
focuses on lack of change or variety
- interesting
direct opposite
- exciting
engaging and stimulating
Usage Note
Often used to describe events, books, films, or tasks that fail to capture attention. Less strong than 'tedious' or 'monotonous'.
Common Mistakes
2. not reflecting much light; lacking brightness, shine, or gloss on the surface
not reflecting much light; lacking brightness, shine, or gloss on the surface
The old silverware had grown dull after years without polishing.
pattern: grow / become + dull for gradual loss of shine
Arjun chose a dull grey paint for the bedroom walls instead of a glossy finish.
Rubbing the leather with a cloth brought back its shine after months of looking dull.
The once-bright red paint on the front door had become dull from years of sun and rain.
Tamar picked a dull blue fabric for the curtains so they would not clash with the wallpaper.
collocation: dull + colour name
- dull colour
- dull finish
- dull surface
- dull metal
- drab
focuses on lack of colour appeal rather than shine
- lacklustre
British spelling; also used figuratively for performances
Usage Note
Describes surfaces, colours, or materials that have lost or lack a reflective quality. The opposite is 'shiny' or 'glossy'.
3. of the sky or weather — covered with clouds so that the sun is not shining
of the sky or weather — covered with clouds so that the sun is not shining
The sky was dull and grey, so Élise decided to stay home with a book.
collocation: dull and grey (for sky)
After a week of dull weather the children were desperate to play outside.
The morning was dull and overcast, so Arjun took his umbrella just in case.
Photographers complain when the sky is dull because the lighting lacks contrast.
collocation: dull sky
- dull sky
- dull weather
- dull morning
- dull afternoon
4. of a blade or cutting tool — unable to cut well because the edge has worn down o
of a blade or cutting tool — unable to cut well because the edge has worn down or was never fine
The kitchen knife was so dull that Christopher could not slice the tomatoes cleanly.
collocation: dull knife
Hiro tried to cut the rope with a dull blade and only managed to fray the end.
A dull pair of scissors will tear paper instead of cutting it cleanly.
collocation: dull scissors
The chef sent the dull knife back to be sharpened before he started prepping vegetables.
- dull knife
- dull blade
- dull edge
- dull scissors
- dull tool
Usage Note
The opposite of 'sharp'. A dull knife is not only less efficient but also more dangerous because it slips more easily.
Common Mistakes
5. of a sound — not loud, sharp, or clear; low and deep. Of a pain — continuous and
of a sound — not loud, sharp, or clear; low and deep. Of a pain — continuous and not sharp, usually suggesting a low level of discomfort
A dull thud came from upstairs, and Tamar went to check what had fallen.
collocation: dull thud (sound)
Eshe felt a dull ache in her lower back after gardening all afternoon.
collocation: dull ache (pain)
The music from the flat next door was just a dull murmur through the wall.
A dull pain spread across Liam's shoulders after he carried the boxes upstairs.
The bell made a dull clang instead of a clear ring because the metal was cracked.
collocation: dull + sound word (thud, clang, murmur)
- dull thud
- dull ache
- dull pain
- dull sound
- dull murmur
- dull roar
- sharp
for both sound and pain — sudden, clear, intense
Usage Note
When describing pain, 'dull' contrasts with 'sharp' or 'stabbing'. A dull pain is spread out and lasts longer but hurts less intensely. When describing sound, it contrasts with 'clear' or 'sharp'.
Common Mistakes
6. not quick to understand, learn, or notice things; slower in thinking than averag
not quick to understand, learn, or notice things; slower in thinking than average
The tutor was patient with the duller pupils and explained everything twice.
People used to call Antonia dull at school, but she became a brilliant architect later.
pattern: call + person + dull — consider someone unintelligent
The teacher assumed the quiet boy was dull, but he was simply too shy to speak up.
Nobody thought Arjun was dull once they saw how quickly he solved the puzzle.
- dull student
- dull mind
- dull child
Usage Note
Can be offensive when used directly about a person. Prefer 'slow to learn' or simply describing the behaviour rather than the person. Usually avoided in modern, sensitive language.
Common Mistakes
7. of a market, shop, or period of trade — with few customers, sales, or transactio
of a market, shop, or period of trade — with few customers, sales, or transactions; not active or busy
January is usually a dull month for the travel agency, so Isabela takes her holiday then.
collocation: dull month / dull period for business
Trading on the stock market was dull all week, with very few deals going through.
Business was so dull at the cafe that the owner sent two staff home early.
collocation: business is dull
The electronics shop had a dull morning with only three customers before lunch.
- dull market
- dull season
- dull trading
- dull period
- dull sales
Usage Note
Common in business and finance contexts. Often used with 'month', 'season', 'period', or 'market'. The opposite is 'brisk' or 'busy'.
said to mean that if you spend all your time working and never relax, you become bored and boring
Greta studied every evening without a break — until her roommate told her that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
extremely boring; completely uninteresting
Liam's speech about office procedures was as dull as ditchwater, and people started checking their phones.
Something that is extremely boring and uninteresting.
Maya found the lecture as dull as ditchwater and nearly fell asleep.
Is this novel really as dull as ditchwater, or does it get better later?
dull — verb
- dullpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dulls3rd person singular
- dulling-ing form
- dulledpast simple
1. to make an emotion, physical sensation, or reaction less strong or noticeable —
to make an emotion, physical sensation, or reaction less strong or noticeable — or for that intensity to fade on its own
The painkillers dulled the ache in her knee but did not remove it completely.
transitive: dull + pain / ache / feeling
Years of routine had dulled Liam's enthusiasm for the job he once loved.
Over time, Mateo's sensitivity to criticism dulled as he grew more confident.
intransitive: sensitivity / feeling + dulls
Regular exercise helped dull the anxiety that had bothered Eshe for months.
The noise from the highway dulled after the council put up sound barriers.
intransitive: noise / sound + dulls
- dull the pain
- dull the ache
- dull the senses
- dull enthusiasm
Grammar Patterns
dull + noun
noun + dull
Usage Note
Can be used transitively (someone dulls something) or intransitively (something dulls). The intransitive use often involves time or repeated exposure as the cause.
Common Mistakes
2. to lose or cause something to lose its brightness, shine, or visual clarity
to lose or cause something to lose its brightness, shine, or visual clarity
The silver bracelet had dulled over time and lost its original shine.
intransitive: metal / paint / finish + dulls over time
Constant exposure to strong sunlight can dull the colour of your curtains.
transitive: sunlight / chemicals + dull + colour / finish
The photographer's shoes had dulled to a dirty grey after years of studio work.
Greta noticed that the brass handles had dulled and needed a good polish.
intransitive: metal + dulls (from age, use)
- dull the finish
- dull the colour
- dull the shine
- dull the surface
Grammar Patterns
dull + noun
noun + dull
Usage Note
Often used to describe the effect of weather, time, or chemicals on surfaces, colours, or finishes. The opposite is 'polish' or 'brighten'.
3. to ruin the fine edge of a cutting tool through use, or for a blade to lose its
to ruin the fine edge of a cutting tool through use, or for a blade to lose its ability to cut over time
Cutting on a glass board will dull your knives much faster than using wood.
transitive: surface / action + dulls + knife / blade
The old garden shears had dulled after years of cutting through thick branches.
intransitive: tool + dulls with use / over time
Using a ceramic knife on a metal surface will dull its edge very quickly.
The blade dulled after just a few cuts through the cardboard packaging.
intransitive: blade dulls from + material
- dull a knife
- dull the blade
- dull scissors
- dull the edge
- blunt
exact synonym; 'blunt' can also be an adjective
- sharpen
to make a tool sharp again
Grammar Patterns
dull + knife / blade
blade + dulls
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All three describe things that fail to hold your attention, but with different emphases. 'Boring' is the most common and neutral word — a long meeting or a slow film can be boring. 'Tedious' adds the idea of length and effort: a tedious task goes on so long that it wears you out, like filling in forms all afternoon. 'Monotonous' focuses on sameness and lack of change: a monotonous voice rises and falls on the same note, and a monotonous job repeats the same action hour after hour. Choose 'boring' for everyday complaints, 'tedious' when time and effort are the problem, and 'monotonous' when the lack of variety is what makes it dull.
Common collocations
Nouns
- dullness
- dull ache
- dull thud
- dull edge
- dull finish
Adverbs
- dreadfully dull
- rather dull
- a bit dull
- somewhat dull
- incredibly dull
Phrases
- dull and boring
- dull and grey
- dull and lifeless
Prepositions
- dull to the touch
- dull in colour
- dull from lack of use
Etymology
The word 'dull' comes from Old English 'dol', meaning 'foolish' or 'slow-witted', which itself comes from a Germanic root meaning 'to be confused or stunned'. Over time the meaning widened: by the Middle English period it was already used for blunt tools and dim light, and later for boring events and muted sounds. The same ancient root is related to the word 'dwell' (to stay in one place), which captures the sense of slowness and lack of movement that runs through all of dull's meanings.