dull
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And while Grande later insisted the break was pre-planned and not “reactive or impulsive,” there’s no doubt the announcement was timed to dull the cacophony of both the jeers and cheers.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
Besides the main storyline and a dull, time-padding smuggling operation to uncover, there’s little to do for the rest of the Broken Lizard team: Paul Soter, Eric Stolhanske and Steve Emme.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
If a wealth strategy sounds incredibly dull — like index funds or compounding interest — then it probably works.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
I don’t find it dull at all—it’s virtuosic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
It was like a dull, throbbing ache, or a sharp, twisty, stabbing feeling—oh, why were things becoming indescribable all of a sudden?
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
![]()
Users of the drugs have reported duller senses of taste, less pleasure from eating and related side effects around flavor—phenomena characterized by some as “Ozempic tongue.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
That show is growing duller, and more lethargic and repetitive, by the day, like watching reruns of a canceled sitcom.
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2026
The following summer was, albeit circumstantially, wetter, duller and slightly warmer than average.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2025
They don’t always mesh well, and the darker the series gets, the duller it becomes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2024
But selective inbreeding via marriage, Wells argued, might paradoxically produce weaker and duller generations.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
![]()
To be clear, there is no guarantee of finding magic in your dullest job duties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
“When you are a scientist, and you are trying to prove or disprove a notion, you work at the bench doing the dullest, most routine things over and over and over again,” Baltimore once explained.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2025
"I am the dullest person on the planet to them. I've gone from a fast-moving detective to fluff and stuff."
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2024
Pandemic-era remote learning is well over, but for middle and high school students, school can still seem like an endless Zoom in the dullest sense of the word.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2023
It is only math, the dullest bore in the entire world, and he only lets her teach the very littlest kids anyway.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
![]()
The mouths of journalists were agape, but time dulls horrific reality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
But the passage of time naturally dulls the horror for people farther away.
From Slate ● Jan. 14, 2026
In theory, each ingredient plays a role: one dries secretions, another loosens phlegm, a third dulls the cough reflex.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
Because when repetition dulls our shock of them, how long before we are no longer shocked by real images of real arrests?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025
The hum of conversation around us dulls and washes out while the clattering sound of plates and glasses being stacked behind the bar gets sharper, making my ears ring.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
![]()
Yet performance has not dulled the appetite for change.
From BBC ● May 5, 2026
The law’s shield is shattered, and its sword is dulled.
From Slate ● May 1, 2026
For them, there will be no better feeling than paying off their mortgage and writing that last check — even if the satisfaction is slightly dulled because of your generosity.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 8, 2026
But once the shimmer of being the “new hot shiny thing” dulled and she settled into her life as a musician, she realized she was being held to a different standard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025
The carving had dulled, almost faded altogether, but it was still there: “Amir and Hassan. The Sultans of Kabul.”
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
![]()
He says this wetter weather has been having "a dulling effect" on the Giant's outline, leaving it greener and less distinct between maintenance work.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Paradoxically, it is the unwavering commitment to a narrow range of recognizable figures, dulling in its totality, that turned his signature style into a full-blown brand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
The higher costs have prompted chocolate makers to raise their prices, dulling consumers' appetite for the sweets.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2025
Kristen Nuss was covered in sand, dulling her neon two-piece swimsuit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2025
The dimness soothed me, dulling the hard edges of the day.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
![]()
Vocabulary lists containing dull
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!