grey

IPA/ɡreɪ/
KK[ɡrˈe]IPA/ɡreɪ/

grey — adjective

  • greypositive
  • greyercomparative
  • greyestsuperlative

1. having the colour that results from mixing black and white, like the colour of a

1.adjectiveA1
Definition

having the colour that results from mixing black and white, like the colour of an elephant's skin or a cloudy sky

Example

Ife wore a grey sweater to the office party last night.

The old stone wall had turned a soft grey colour over the years.

grey + noun (stone wall, colour)

Common collocations
  • dark grey
  • light grey
  • shades of grey
  • grey suit
  • grey paint
Synonyms
  • silver

    lighter, shinier shade of grey, often used for hair or metallic surfaces

  • slate

    darker grey with a slightly blue or green tone, like the natural stone

Antonyms
  • colourful

    having bright, strong colours instead of plain grey

2. relating to hair that is no longer its original colour but has turned to white o

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

relating to hair that is no longer its original colour but has turned to white or grey shades, most often due to ageing

Example

Haruto's father is quite young but already has grey hair at the sides.

grey hair

Tara noticed more grey strands in her mother's hair each time she visited.

Common collocations
  • grey hair
  • grey beard
  • grey-haired
  • turn grey
  • go grey
Synonyms
  • white

    lighter than grey; often used for hair that has lost all colour

  • silver

    shiny, attractive grey hair; often used as a compliment

Usage Note

Often used with a possessive before the noun (his grey hair, her grey beard). Can also appear in the compound adjective 'grey-haired' before a noun. Frequently carries no negative connotation — simply a neutral observation of ageing.

3. relating to the sky or the weather at times when thick cloud cover blocks out su

3.adjectiveA2
Definition

relating to the sky or the weather at times when thick cloud cover blocks out sunlight, making the day appear dim

Example

The sky was grey and heavy with rain clouds all morning.

grey sky for cloudy weather

On a grey winter afternoon, the city looked quiet and still.

Common collocations
  • grey sky
  • grey weather
  • grey day
  • grey morning
  • grey and cold
Synonyms
  • overcast

    more formal; describes a sky completely covered by clouds

  • cloudy

    more general; can describe partial or full cloud cover

  • dull

    focuses on the lack of brightness rather than the colour itself

Antonyms

Usage Note

Typically describes the sky or the general weather, not specific rain events. A 'grey' day can be dry but overcast. Often paired with 'cold', 'dull', or 'wet'.

4. lacking interest, variety, or brightness of mood; making you feel dull or slight

4.adjectiveB1
Definition

lacking interest, variety, or brightness of mood; making you feel dull or slightly unhappy

Example

Life in the small mining town felt grey and empty after the factory closed.

The novel describes the grey reality of office life with no excitement at all.

grey + abstract noun (reality, life, existence)

Common collocations
  • grey life
  • grey existence
  • grey mood
  • grey reality
  • grey outlook
  • paint a grey picture
Synonyms
  • dull

    very similar; focuses on lack of excitement or sharpness

  • gloomy

    stronger negative feeling; suggests sadness or hopelessness

  • bleak

    strongest of the group; suggests a hopeless, unwelcoming situation

  • colourless

    focuses on lack of distinctive character or personality

Antonyms
  • bright

    full of hope, interest, and positive energy

  • lively

    full of activity, energy, and excitement

  • vibrant

    full of colour, energy, and life

Usage Note

Used metaphorically — the speaker compares a situation, mood, or thing to the unexciting colour grey. Common in phrases like 'a grey existence' or 'grey outlook'. Slightly more literary than 'boring' but less intense than 'bleak'.

Common Mistakes

I feel grey today' (meaning sick).
I feel gloomy today.
'grey' for mood usually describes the thing or situation, not a person's physical state.

5. having a position, nature, or character that falls between two clear categories

5.adjectiveB2
Definition

having a position, nature, or character that falls between two clear categories and is therefore hard to classify or judge clearly

Example

The new regulations operate in a grey area between legal and illegal.

grey area (most common fixed phrase for this sense)

Aarav's responsibilities at work fall into a grey zone between assistant and manager.

Common collocations
  • grey area
  • grey zone
  • grey region
Synonyms
  • ambiguous

    more formal; having more than one possible meaning or interpretation

  • vague

    not clearly expressed or described; lacking detail

  • uncertain

    focuses on doubt about the outcome or nature of something

Antonyms
  • clear-cut

    obvious and easy to decide or classify

  • definite

    clearly stated, known, or decided

Usage Note

Most commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'grey area' (or US 'gray area'). Can describe legal, ethical, social, or categorical uncertainty. The adjective alone ('grey answer', 'grey position') is less common but acceptable in formal writing.

grey — noun

grey — verb

grey — idiom

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/4

All four describe situations or moods lacking brightness, but they differ in intensity and scope. 'Grey' (adjective/4) is the mildest — it suggests something is uninspiring or slightly sad, as in 'a grey existence in a small town'. 'Dull' is very similar but focuses more on lack of sharpness or excitement ('a dull lecture'). 'Gloomy' carries a stronger emotional weight, pointing toward sadness or pessimism ('a gloomy forecast for the economy'). 'Bleak' is the strongest — it implies a hopeless, harsh, or empty situation ('the bleak landscape of a war zone'). 'Colourless' emphasises absence of distinct character rather than mood ('a colourless personality'). In everyday use, 'grey' and 'dull' are interchangeable for describing boring experiences ('a grey/dull afternoon'), while 'gloomy' and 'bleak' suggest deeper unhappiness. Example: 'The film was grey and predictable' (mild disappointment); 'The film was bleak and depressing' (strong criticism).

dull ↗gloomy ↗bleak ↗colourless ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • grey area
  • grey hair
  • grey sky
  • grey matter
  • grey economy
  • grey market

Adverbs

  • mostly grey
  • all grey
  • uniformly grey
  • greyish
  • increasingly grey

Phrases

  • shades of grey
  • grey and white
  • black and grey
  • paint something grey
  • turn grey
  • go grey

Prepositions

  • grey in colour
  • grey with age
  • grey from dust
  • grey around the edges
  • grey at the temples

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'grey' comes from Old English 'grǣg', which dates back to before the 12th century. It traces further to Proto-Germanic '*grēwaz', meaning 'grey', which also gave rise to Dutch 'grauw' and German 'grau'. The ultimate root may be from Proto-Indo-European '*ǵʰer-', meaning 'to shine, glow' — an interesting shift from brightness to a muted colour. Both spellings, 'grey' and 'gray', existed in Old English. Over time, 'grey' became the standard in British English, while American English adopted 'gray' as the dominant form, partly due to the influence of Noah Webster's dictionaries. The metaphorical senses ('grey area', 'grey mood') developed from the 17th century onward, extending the colour's association with indistinctness and dullness.