Dull
dʌl
Definitions
2 meaningsLacking sharpness, intensity, or interest; not bright or vivid; boring.
dʌl
Lacking sharpness, intensity, or interest.
The weather was dull and gray.
💡 Simply: Imagine a crayon that doesn't make bright colors, or a movie that doesn't keep you interested. That's 'dull'.
👶 For kids: Not sharp or bright. Something boring.
More Examples
His lecture was quite dull.
She found the book's plot to be dull.
How It's Used
"The knife was dull and wouldn't cut the bread."
"The artist used a dull color palette for the landscape painting."
"The meeting was dull and unproductive."
To make or become dull in appearance or intensity.
dʌl
To make or become dull.
The constant exposure to sunlight dulled the paint.
💡 Simply: To make something less sharp, bright, or exciting. Like when you stop having as much fun doing a certain activity after doing it a lot.
👶 For kids: To make something not bright or sharp.
More Examples
Over time, the sharp edge of the blade had dulled.
Repetitive tasks can dull the mind.
How It's Used
"The constant rain had dulled the colors of the flowers."
"Too much repetition can dull the senses."
Idioms & expressions
a dull moment
A time that is boring or without any interest.
"With the kids around, there's never a dull moment in our house."
dull as ditchwater
Extremely boring.
"That documentary was as dull as ditchwater; I fell asleep halfway through."
From Old English *dol* (foolish, stupid), from Proto-Germanic *duzlaz* (stupid, foolish).
Used since Old English times, reflecting a consistent meaning related to lack of sharpness or interest.
Memory tip
Think of a dull knife that can't cut easily; it's a boring tool.
Word Origin
"foolish, stupid"