dull
lacking in liveliness or animation
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,348 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 13,596 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.006% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- lacking in liveliness or animation he was so dull at partiesa dull political campaign
- emitting or reflecting very little light a dull glowdull silver badly in need of a polish
- being or made softer or less loud or clear also: muffled, muted, softened the dull boom of distant breaking wavesmuffled drums
- so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness also: boring, deadening, ho-hum, irksome, slow, tedious a boring evening with uninteresting peoplethe deadening effect of some routine tasks
- (of color) very low in saturation; highly diluted dull greens and blues
- not keenly felt a dull throbbingdull pain
dull in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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I may seem grave, and dull, and slow.
Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 08, May 21, 1870 · Various · Chapter 1
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She had sent, declined, and accepted invitations, and put off charities and dull people.
Emily Fox-Seton · Frances Hodgson Burnett · Chapter 1
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He had the forehead prominent, the eyes of a dull blue, and the nose very thin.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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He is about eight feet tall, has cruel sunken eyes that burn like dull fires, and dresses entirely in black.
The Firelight Fairy Book · Henry Beston · Chapter 1
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To the second son, whose wisdom and prudence made amends for his being rather dull, she gave the government of the earth.
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1