dull
gb/dˈʌl/ us/dˈʌl/
A1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Not interesting or exciting
Not fun or interesting; making you feel bored.
Usage pattern:
[something] is dull
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dull' with 'stupid' — they are not the same; 'dull' here means boring, not unintelligent.
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.)
Collocations
dull job
|dull lecture
|dull conversation
|dull day
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The movie was so dull that several people left early.
- It was a dull afternoon with nothing to do.
- 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.
- This class is dull.
- I think the movie is dull.
- It was a dull day at work.
adjective
A2
property
2
Not bright or shiny
Not bright in color or light; not shiny.
Usage pattern:
[something] looks dull
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.)
Collocations
dull color
|dull surface
|dull finish
Themes
appearance
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The paint has become dull over time.
- She wore a dull gray dress to the meeting.
- 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.
- Her shoes are dull black.
- This plate has a dull surface.
- The sky is dull today.
adjective
A1
property
3
Not sharp in edge or point
Not sharp; not able to cut well.
Usage pattern:
[something] is dull
Synonyms
blunt (Common synonym for tools lacking sharpness; can also apply to speech.)
Antonyms
sharp (Having an edge or point that can cut easily.)
Collocations
dull knife
|dull blade
|dull scissors
Themes
tools
|cooking
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- This knife is too dull to slice tomatoes.
- A dull pencil makes writing difficult.
- The scissors are dull and won't cut paper cleanly.
- He sharpened the dull axe before chopping wood.
Learner examples
- The knife is dull.
- My pencil is dull.
- These scissors are dull.
- The blade is dull now.
adjective
B1
property
4
Not intense in feeling or sensation
Not strong or clear; soft or low in feeling, sound, or light.
Usage pattern:
[something] feels/sounds dull
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.)
Collocations
dull ache
|dull sound
|dull thud
Themes
health
|senses
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She felt a dull ache in her back after sitting all day.
- The drum produced a dull thud when struck.
- 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.
- The sound is dull in this room.
- I feel a dull ache in my leg.
Verb
B1
action
5
Make less sharp, bright, intense, or interesting
To make something less strong, bright, sharp, or interesting.
Usage pattern:
to dull [something]
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.)
Collocations
dull the pain
|dull the blade
|dull the colors
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The medicine dulled the pain in her knee.
- Years of sunlight had dulled the fabric's colors.
- 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.
- The drug dulled the pain.
- The dust dulled the shine of the car.
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.