dullness

/ˈdʌlnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʌlnəs/ (ame, ipa)

dullness — noun

1. the quality of being boring, unexciting, or failing to hold anyone's attention —

1.名詞B2
釋義

the quality of being boring, unexciting, or failing to hold anyone's attention — for example, a lecture that makes people yawn, or a novel with no surprises in the plot.

例句

Maya walked out of the seminar, frustrated by the dullness of the long presentation.

dullness of + noun phrase for source of boredom

The critic blamed the dullness of the dialogue for the film's poor reviews.

blamed the dullness of [noun] for [result]

同義詞
  • tedium

    more formal and implies a prolonged, wearying boredom

  • monotony

    focuses on lack of variety and repetitive nature

  • blandness

    suggests a lack of distinctive character rather than active boredom

反義詞
  • excitement

    the quality of being thrilling or engaging

  • liveliness

    the quality of being full of energy and interest

用法筆記

Typically follows the pattern 'the dullness of + [noun phrase describing the boring thing'. This sense is uncountable — you would not say 'a dullness'. Common collocating verbs include 'complain about', 'criticise', 'escape', 'relieve'.

常見錯誤

❌I felt a dullness during the meeting.
✅I felt the dullness of the meeting.
💡'dullness' is uncountable; use 'the dullness of' rather than 'a dullness'.
❌The dullness movie made everyone sleepy.
✅The dullness of the movie made everyone sleepy.
💡When describing the source, use 'the dullness of [noun]'.

2. the degree to which a surface, colour, or source of light has little or no shine

2.名詞B2
釋義

the degree to which a surface, colour, or source of light has little or no shine — for example, an old metal surface that has lost its gleam, or a sky that looks flat and grey.

例句

The dullness of the silverware showed that it had not been polished in years.

dullness of + material noun showing physical quality

The rainy weather added to the dullness of the sky, making everything look grey.

added to the dullness of [noun]

同義詞
  • drabness

    emphasises a depressing lack of colour

  • dimness

    focuses on lack of light rather than surface quality

  • cloudiness

    used for sky or liquids that lack transparency

反義詞
  • brightness

    the quality of being full of light or shiny

  • shine

    the reflective brightness of a surface

用法筆記

Describes the appearance of surfaces, colours, or light. Often contrasts with 'shine', 'gloss', 'brightness', or 'vibrancy'. Common verbs: 'polish away', 'notice', 'cause', 'add to'. This sense can overlap with 'cloudiness' for weather descriptions.

常見錯誤

❌The diamond had a dullness and needed cleaning.
✅The diamond looked dull and needed cleaning.
💡The adjective 'dull' is more natural for describing a single object's appearance; 'dullness' works best with 'the dullness of [noun]' patterns.