dull
gb/dˈʌl/ us/dˈʌl/
A1
English
~ 2000
unalmas, fakó, matt, tompa, életlen, csökkent, tompít, enyhít, kifakít, mérsékel
A2
1
unalmas
A2
Usage pattern:
[something] is dull
The movie was so dull that several people left early.
A film annyira unalmas volt, hogy többen idő előtt elmentek.
It was a dull afternoon with nothing to do.
Unalmas délután volt, nem volt mit csinálni.
He found the meeting dull and unproductive.
Her writing style is clear but rather dull.
The lecture was dull despite the important topic.
Learner examples
The book is dull.
A könyv unalmas.
This class is dull.
Ez az óra unalmas.
I think the movie is dull.
It was a dull day at work.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dull' with 'stupid' — they are not the same; 'dull' here means boring, not unintelligent.
Meaning
Not interesting or exciting
Collocations
dull job
|dull lecture
|dull conversation
|dull day
Synonyms
boring (More common in everyday speech; slightly less formal.)
|
tedious (Emphasizes repetitive and tiresome qualities.)
Antonyms
exciting (Direct opposite, meaning full of interest and energy.)
|
interesting (Opposite in the sense of holding attention.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not fun or interesting; making you feel bored.
Lacking interest, excitement, or variety; boring.
A2
2
Usage pattern:
[something] looks dull
The paint has become dull over time.
A festék idővel megfakult.
She wore a dull gray dress to the meeting.
Az értekezletre fakó szürke ruhát vett fel.
The knife's blade looked dull and worn.
His eyes had a dull, tired look.
Clouds made the afternoon sky look dull.
Learner examples
The car is dull red.
Az autó fakóvörös.
Her shoes are dull black.
A cipője matt fekete.
This plate has a dull surface.
The sky is dull today.
Meaning
Not bright or shiny
Collocations
dull color
|dull surface
|dull finish
Synonyms
drab (Suggests dullness with a grayish or faded tone.)
|
lackluster (Often used figuratively for performance, but also for appearance lacking shine.)
Antonyms
bright (Having strong or vivid color.)
|
shiny (Having a reflective, polished surface.)
Themes
appearance
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not bright in color or light; not shiny.
Not having a bright color or shiny surface; lacking brightness or luster.
A1
3
Usage pattern:
[something] is dull
This knife is too dull to slice tomatoes.
Ez a kés túl életlen ahhoz, hogy paradicsomot szeleteljünk vele.
A dull pencil makes writing difficult.
A tompa ceruzával nehéz írni.
The scissors are dull and won't cut paper cleanly.
He sharpened the dull axe before chopping wood.
Learner examples
The knife is dull.
A kés életlen.
My pencil is dull.
Tompa a ceruzám.
These scissors are dull.
The blade is dull now.
Meaning
Not sharp in edge or point
Collocations
dull knife
|dull blade
|dull scissors
Synonyms
blunt (Common synonym for tools lacking sharpness; can also apply to speech.)
Antonyms
sharp (Having an edge or point that can cut easily.)
Themes
tools
|cooking
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not sharp; not able to cut well.
Having a blunt edge or point; not able to cut or pierce easily.
B1
4
tompa
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] feels/sounds dull
She felt a dull ache in her back after sitting all day.
Egész napos ülés után tompa fájdalmat érzett a hátában.
The drum produced a dull thud when struck.
A dob tompa puffanást hallatott, amikor megütötték.
There was a dull roar of traffic outside the window.
I have a dull headache that won't go away.
Learner examples
I have a dull pain in my head.
Tompa fájdalmat érzek a fejemben.
The sound is dull in this room.
Ebben a szobában tompa a hang.
I feel a dull ache in my leg.
Meaning
Not intense in feeling or sensation
Collocations
dull ache
|dull sound
|dull thud
Synonyms
muted (Emphasizes reduced volume or brightness, especially for sound and color.)
|
faint (Weaker in strength, often for sound, smell, or light.)
Antonyms
sharp (In pain, meaning sudden and strong; in sound, meaning clear and high-pitched.)
|
intense (Strong and powerful in feeling or effect.)
Themes
health
|senses
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not strong or clear; soft or low in feeling, sound, or light.
(Of pain, sound, etc.) Not sharp, strong, or clear; muted in intensity.
VERB
B1
5
Usage pattern:
to dull [something]
The medicine dulled the pain in her knee.
A gyógyszer tompította a térdében érzett fájdalmat.
Years of sunlight had dulled the fabric's colors.
A sok évnyi napfény kifakította a szövet színeit.
Frequent use can dull the blade quickly.
His repeated excuses dulled her sympathy over time.
Learner examples
The rain dulled the colors of the flowers.
Az eső tompította a virágok színeit.
The drug dulled the pain.
A gyógyszer tompította a fájdalmat.
The dust dulled the shine of the car.
Meaning
Make less sharp, bright, intense, or interesting
Collocations
dull the pain
|dull the blade
|dull the colors
Synonyms
soften (Reduce harshness or strength without removing it completely.)
|
weaken (Make something less strong; more general term.)
Antonyms
sharpen (Make an edge or image sharper.)
|
brighten (Make colors more vivid or mood more lively.)
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something less strong, bright, sharp, or interesting.
To make something less sharp in edge, bright in color, intense in sensation, or lively in interest.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dull
IPA
GB/dˈʌl/
US/dˈʌl/
Syllables & stress
dull (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (dull)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: dull
- Comparative: duller
- Superlative: dullest
Verb
- Base: dull
- 3rd Person Singular: dulls
- Present Participle: dulling
- Past: dulled
Word family
Expressions
dull as dishwater
1/dˈʌl ˈæz dɪʃwˌeɪtɚ/
idiom
informal
Extremely boring or uninteresting
Very boring and with nothing interesting at all.
Examples
- That lecture was as dull as dishwater.
- This book is dull as dishwater—I'm not finishing it.
dull moment
1/dˈʌl mˈoʊmənt/
fixed phrase
A time without excitement or activity
A short time when nothing fun is happening.
Examples
- There was never a dull moment during our trip.
- Life with him means never a dull moment.