dull

/dʌl/ (bre, ipa) · /dʌl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdəl/ (ame, mw)

dull — 形容詞

1. not interesting, exciting, or enjoyable in any way; boring to experience or enga

1.形容詞B1
釋義

無聊；乏味

形容事物不有趣

not interesting, exciting, or enjoyable in any way; boring to experience or engage with

例句

The lecture on tax law was so dull that half the students fell asleep.

那場稅法講座實在太無聊了，一半的學生都睡著了。

collocation: so dull that-clause for result

Anong found the museum exhibition rather dull because most displays were just old photographs.

Anong 覺得那間博物館展覽相當乏味，因為大多數展品只是舊照片。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞

用法筆記

Often used to describe events, books, films, or tasks that fail to capture attention. Less strong than 'tedious' or 'monotonous'.

常見錯誤

❌I felt very dull at the party.
✅The party was very dull.
💡'dull' describes the thing that is not interesting, not how you feel about it.

2. not reflecting much light; lacking brightness, shine, or gloss on the surface

2.形容詞B1
釋義

暗淡；不光亮

形容表面或顏色缺乏光澤

not reflecting much light; lacking brightness, shine, or gloss on the surface

例句

The old silverware had grown dull after years without polishing.

那套舊銀器多年沒有擦拭，變得黯淡無光。

pattern: grow / become + dull for gradual loss of shine

Arjun chose a dull grey paint for the bedroom walls instead of a glossy finish.

Arjun 選了一種暗灰色油漆來刷臥室牆壁，而不是亮面漆。

同義詞
  • drab

    focuses on lack of colour appeal rather than shine

  • lacklustre

    British spelling; also used figuratively for performances

反義詞

用法筆記

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

3.形容詞B1
釋義

陰沉；多雲

形容天空或天氣不明朗

of the sky or weather — covered with clouds so that the sun is not shining

例句

The sky was dull and grey, so Élise decided to stay home with a book.

天空陰沉灰暗，Élise 決定待在家裡看書。

collocation: dull and grey (for sky)

After a week of dull weather the children were desperate to play outside.

連續一週陰沉的天氣之後，孩子們迫不及待想出去玩。

同義詞
  • overcast

    more precise weather term; neutral in tone

  • cloudy

    simpler, everyday word

反義詞

4. of a blade or cutting tool — unable to cut well because the edge has worn down o

4.形容詞B1
釋義

鈍；不鋒利

形容刀刃無法順利切割

of a blade or cutting tool — unable to cut well because the edge has worn down or was never fine

例句

The kitchen knife was so dull that Christopher could not slice the tomatoes cleanly.

廚房刀子鈍到 Christopher 連番茄都沒辦法切得乾淨俐落。

collocation: dull knife

Hiro tried to cut the rope with a dull blade and only managed to fray the end.

Hiro 試圖用一把鈍刀割繩子，結果只把繩頭弄散了。

同義詞
  • blunt

    exact synonym; slightly more technical

反義詞
  • sharp

    opposite — able to cut easily

用法筆記

The opposite of 'sharp'. A dull knife is not only less efficient but also more dangerous because it slips more easily.

常見錯誤

❌This knife is very dull to cut.
✅This knife is very dull.' or 'This knife is too dull to cut with.
💡'dull' is an adjective; don't add an infinitive directly.

5. of a sound — not loud, sharp, or clear; low and deep. Of a pain — continuous and

5.形容詞B2
釋義

隱約；悶

形容聲音低沉或疼痛持續不尖銳

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

例句

A dull thud came from upstairs, and Tamar went to check what had fallen.

樓上傳來一聲悶響，Tamar 上樓去看是什麼東西掉了。

collocation: dull thud (sound)

Eshe felt a dull ache in her lower back after gardening all afternoon.

Eshe 在花園忙了一整個下午後，感到下背部隱隱作痛。

collocation: dull ache (pain)

同義詞
  • muffled

    for sounds; softer and less distinct

  • vague

    for pains; less specific in location or quality

反義詞
  • sharp

    for both sound and pain — sudden, clear, intense

用法筆記

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'.

常見錯誤

❌I have a dull headache since this morning.
✅I have had a dull headache since this morning.
💡use present perfect for a continuous sensation that started in the past.

6. not quick to understand, learn, or notice things; slower in thinking than averag

6.形容詞B2
釋義

遲鈍；愚笨

形容理解力或反應慢

not quick to understand, learn, or notice things; slower in thinking than average

例句

The tutor was patient with the duller pupils and explained everything twice.

家教老師對較遲鈍的學生很有耐心，每件事都講解兩遍。

People used to call Antonia dull at school, but she became a brilliant architect later.

Antonia 在學校時曾被人說笨，但她後來卻成了出色的建築師。

pattern: call + person + dull — consider someone unintelligent

同義詞
  • slow

    softer; less dismissive in tone

  • stupid

    stronger and more insulting — avoid in polite contexts

反義詞
  • bright

    quick to understand and learn

  • sharp

    mentally quick and perceptive

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌He is dull in understanding the lesson.
✅He is slow to understand the lesson.
💡'dull' sounds old-fashioned and harsh when describing a person's mind.

7. of a market, shop, or period of trade — with few customers, sales, or transactio

7.形容詞B2
釋義

冷清；蕭條

形容生意或市場不活絡

of a market, shop, or period of trade — with few customers, sales, or transactions; not active or busy

例句

January is usually a dull month for the travel agency, so Isabela takes her holiday then.

一月通常是旅行社的淡季，所以 Isabela 趁那時候休假。

collocation: dull month / dull period for business

Trading on the stock market was dull all week, with very few deals going through.

股市整週交投冷清，幾乎沒有大筆交易成交。

同義詞
  • slow

    more common in everyday business talk

  • sluggish

    suggests the situation is worse or longer-lasting

反義詞
  • busy

    full of activity and customers

  • brisk

    quick and lively (of sales/trade)

用法筆記

Common in business and finance contexts. Often used with 'month', 'season', 'period', or 'market'. The opposite is 'brisk' or 'busy'.

dull — 動詞