leaden
gb/lˈɛdən/ us/lˈɛdən/
C1
English
~ 10000
ólmos, ólomszürke, vontatott, nehézkes, ólomból készült, ólomtartalmú
C1
1
ólmos
B2
Usage pattern:
leaden [steps / limbs / mood / silence]
After the twelve-hour shift, his legs felt leaden as he climbed the stairs.
A tizenkét órás műszak után ólmosnak érezte a lábait, miközben felment a lépcsőn.
A leaden silence filled the room when she announced the layoffs.
Ólmos csend töltötte be a szobát, amikor bejelentette a leépítéseket.
The news left him with a leaden heart that would not lift for days.
We walked home with leaden steps, hardly saying a word.
There was a leaden atmosphere in the office after the team lost the contract.
Learner examples
My arms were leaden after the long swim.
A hosszú úszás után ólmosak voltak a karjaim.
There was a leaden silence when the teacher shouted at the class.
Ólmos csend lett, amikor a tanár rákiabált az osztályra.
She went to the meeting with a leaden heart.
He moved with leaden steps after hearing the bad news.
The room felt leaden after the argument.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *leaded* instead of *leaden* to describe a heavy feeling (e.g. *leaded legs*). *Leaded* is usually used for things containing the metal lead (like *leaded gasoline*), while *leaden* is used for heavy, slow, or oppressive movement and moods.
Meaning
very heavy, slow, or oppressive
Collocations
leaden steps
|leaden limbs
|leaden silence
|leaden heart
|leaden atmosphere
|leaden feet
Synonyms
heavy (More general and common; does not always suggest emotional weight or slowness.)
|
oppressive (Focuses more on uncomfortable pressure or emotional weight than on physical heaviness.)
|
sluggish (Emphasizes slow movement or lack of energy rather than a feeling of great weight.)
Antonyms
light (Opposite in physical weight or feeling of heaviness.)
|
lively (Opposite in mood or movement, suggesting energy instead of heaviness or oppression.)
Themes
emotions
|physical_sensation
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
very heavy or very slow, so that it feels hard or painful, in the body or in the mood
Extremely heavy or slow, often in a way that feels oppressive or burdensome, either physically or emotionally.
C1
2
ólomszürke
C1
Usage pattern:
leaden [sky / skies / clouds / sea]
Thick, leaden clouds hung over the city all afternoon.
Sűrű, ólomszürke felhők borultak a város fölé egész délután.
We sailed under a leaden sky that promised more rain.
Ólomszürke ég alatt vitorláztunk, amely további esőt ígért.
The sea turned a cold, leaden gray as the storm approached.
A strip of pale orange shone beneath the leaden horizon.
The morning was dark and the light outside was a flat, leaden color.
Learner examples
Heavy rain fell from the leaden sky.
Heves eső esett az ólomszürke égből.
Dark, leaden clouds covered the town.
Sötét, ólomszürke felhők borították a várost.
We walked by the leaden sea in the storm.
The day began under a low, leaden sky.
Snow started to fall from the leaden clouds.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use *leaden* for any gray object. In modern English it is mostly used for natural scenes like *leaden sky*, *leaden clouds*, or *leaden sea*, not for everyday gray things like *a leaden car*.
Meaning
dull gray like the metal lead
Collocations
leaden sky
|leaden skies
|leaden clouds
|leaden sea
|leaden horizon
Synonyms
gray (General color term; does not carry the same feeling of heaviness or gloom.)
|
overcast (Used specifically for sky; focuses on cloud cover, not color alone.)
Antonyms
bright (Opposite in both color intensity and mood suggestion.)
|
blue (Often used for a clear, pleasant sky, opposite to a dull gray one.)
Themes
weather
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
dull gray in color, like the metal lead, often used for the sky or sea
Having a dull, heavy-looking gray color like that of the metal lead.
C1
3
Usage pattern:
leaden [performance / speech / writing / dialogue / joke]
Despite the exciting script, the actors gave a leaden performance.
Az izgalmas forgatókönyv ellenére a színészek vontatott alakítást nyújtottak.
His speech was so leaden that several people started checking their phones.
A beszéde annyira vontatott volt, hogy többen elkezdték nézegetni a telefonjukat.
The film’s leaden dialogue ruined what could have been a sharp comedy.
Her reading of the poem was strangely leaden, with no change in tone or pace.
The book’s opening chapters are rather leaden, but it improves later on.
Learner examples
The lecture was long and leaden, and many students fell asleep.
Az előadás hosszú és vontatott volt, és sok diák elaludt.
The actor’s voice was flat and leaden in this movie.
A színész hangja ebben a filmben lapos és vontatott volt.
We laughed at the story, but his jokes were a bit leaden.
The report is clear but very leaden to read.
The play started with a slow, leaden scene.
Common mistake:
Learners may think *leaden* only describes physical weight. In this sense, it is about style or delivery in speech, writing, or performance that feels slow and boring, not literally heavy.
Meaning
dull and lifeless in style
Collocations
leaden performance
|leaden speech
|leaden dialogue
|leaden prose
|leaden joke
|leaden delivery
Synonyms
dull (Broad and common; *leaden* suggests a particularly heavy, dragging quality.)
|
lifeless (Focuses on lack of energy; *leaden* adds a feeling of heaviness.)
|
wooden (Often used for acting or speaking that is stiff; *leaden* emphasizes slowness and weight.)
Antonyms
engaging (Opposite in effect on the audience; interesting and holds attention.)
|
animated (Opposite in energy level; full of life instead of heavy and dragging.)
Themes
arts
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
very slow or boring in the way someone speaks, writes, or performs, so it feels heavy and hard to enjoy
Lacking energy, variety, or liveliness, especially in speech, writing, or performance, and therefore boring or difficult to enjoy.
C2
TECHNICAL
4
ólomtartalmú
C1
Usage pattern:
leaden [pipes / balls / weights / seals]
Archaeologists uncovered a set of leaden seals used to close the ancient documents.
A régészek olyan ólompecsétekre bukkantak, amelyekkel az ősi iratokat zárták le.
The old house still had leaden pipes, which had to be replaced for safety reasons.
A régi házban még mindig ólomcsövek voltak, amelyeket biztonsági okokból ki kellett cserélni.
A row of small leaden weights lay beside the balance scale.
The craftsman poured the molten metal into a mold to make leaden balls for the antique clock.
The museum displayed a leaden plaque taken from the shipwreck.
Learner examples
The old water system used leaden pipes.
A régi vízrendszer ólomcsöveket használt.
Workers removed the leaden weights from the machine.
A munkások eltávolították a gépből az ólomsúlyokat.
They found a leaden seal in the ruins.
The clock was driven by heavy leaden balls.
The pot was closed with a small leaden cap.
Common mistake:
Learners often use *leaden* instead of *lead* as an adjective for modern materials (e.g. *leaden paint*). In everyday and technical English, *lead paint* or *lead pipes* is more common than *leaden paint* or *leaden pipes*.
Meaning
made of or containing lead metal
Collocations
leaden pipes
|leaden balls
|leaden weights
|leaden bullet
|leaden seal
Synonyms
lead (Used as an adjective (e.g., lead pipes); more common in modern technical and everyday use than *leaden*.)
Antonyms
lead-free (Used for materials that do not contain lead.)
Themes
science
|materials
|core_vocabulary
Definition
made from the metal lead, or having lead in it
Made of, coated with, or containing the metallic element lead.
Grammar
Dictionary form
leaden
IPA
GB/lˈɛdən/
US/lˈɛdən/
Syllables & stress
leaden (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (leaden)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: leaden
Word family
Core family
lead
noun A2
Related words
leaded
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unleaded
adjective
Expressions
a leaden silence
1/ə lˈɛdən sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
a very heavy, tense silence
a silence that feels very heavy, serious, and uncomfortable
Examples
- A leaden silence followed his shocking confession.
- There was a leaden silence in the room when the results were announced.
leaden atmosphere
1/lˈɛdən ˈætməsfˌɪɹ/
fixed phrase
very heavy, gloomy mood in a place
a mood in a room or place that feels very heavy, sad, or uncomfortable
Examples
- There was a leaden atmosphere in the office after the accident.
- The argument left a leaden atmosphere at the dinner table.
leaden feet
1/lˈɛdən fˈit/
fixed phrase
feet that feel very heavy
feet that feel so heavy and tired that it is hard to walk or run
Examples
- He tried to sprint, but his leaden feet barely left the ground.
- She climbed the last few steps with leaden feet.
leaden limbs
1/lˈɛdən lˈɪmz/
fixed phrase
arms and legs feel very heavy
arms and legs that feel very heavy and tired, so they are hard to move
Examples
- After the marathon, she lay on the floor with leaden limbs.
- He woke up with leaden limbs and a pounding headache.
leaden skies
1/lˈɛdən skˈaɪz/
fixed phrase
dull gray, overcast skies
skies that are full of dull gray clouds and look heavy
Examples
- We drove home under leaden skies and steady rain.
- The city woke to leaden skies and a cold wind from the north.
leaden steps
1/lˈɛdən stˈɛps/
fixed phrase
very slow, heavy steps
steps that are slow and heavy, often because someone is tired, sad, or worried
Examples
- He walked away with leaden steps, not looking back.
- She climbed the stairs with leaden steps after the long day.
with a leaden heart
1/wˈɪθ ə lˈɛdən hˈɑɹt/
idiom
literary
feeling very heavy-hearted and sad
feeling very sad, worried, or without hope
Examples
- With a leaden heart, she turned in her resignation.
- He left the hospital with a leaden heart after hearing the news.