dulled 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in dull
lacking a surface luster or gloss it might be best to paint the exposed pipes with a dulled enamel

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2
as in faded
lacking intensity of color the dulled colors and brownish tones are characteristic of this painter's works

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3
as in blunted
lacking sharpness of edge or point the dulled blade of a knife that had been stored in a drawer full of miscellaneous utensils

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dulled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of dull
1
as in reduced
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling the aspirin dulled his headache and he was soon feeling better

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2
as in bleached
to make white or lighter by removing color the painting's once-vivid colors have been dulled by time

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dulled
Verb
Bikes like these would make a lot of sense from a sales perspective, considering the appeal of these models has never dulled in the motorcycle community. — New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026 That was half her life ago, but the emotional charge of that day has never dulled. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 None of this ever accumulates much weight, however, since the conflicts are all dulled by the one-note absurdity of the farcical plotting. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026 Then there is smell, dulled by our reliance on artificial fragrance; and sound, overwhelmed by notification pings. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026 The flavor of the wine may be dulled, or an off or sour taste could develop. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026 The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and her smile seemed forced. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 Decades of scrolling have dulled our senses somewhat; this is inevitable. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 Imagine trying to swallow a sip of water while your face feels stuffed with congestion, your sense of taste is dulled and your body is floating 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth. — Sundeep Venkatesan, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulled
  1. dull
  2. faded
  3. blunted
  4. reduced
  5. bleached
  6. matte
  7. pale
  8. blunt
Adjective
  • Many of the strongest initial applications are the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that go unfilled, contribute to injuries, and pull people away from higher-value judgment and exception handling.
    — Navin Chaddha, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But in the years between Logic1000’s in-your-face debut EP and 2024’s duller, more careful Mother, her solo work became less singular.
    — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • At the denouement, Kember is completely alone, his flat, narcotized baritone dripping onto the faded guitar notes like melted mercury.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Fly Faster Tee uses heavyweight cotton jersey with a faded finish, while the Patch Tee receives a heavy enzyme wash.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of faded
Adjective
  • The results have been impressive enough from far away, but examined more closely as a blunted, external force, Big Brother has almost always been too literal in horror cinema.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
  • Orientation matters; garlic is planted vertically, with the root (blunted) end of the clove facing down, and the sprout (pointy) end facing up.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of blunted
Verb
  • Taps won't go dry, experts say, in part because Arizona has already reduced its water use over the years.
    — Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • But for Deakins, the work is too dependent on the circumstances of a story, and the people telling it, to be reduced to any one method.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Eco effort While over 80% of the reefs around the resort were bleached following the dramatic temperature rises of El Nino in 2016, the resort is throwing everything at its coral nursery and the green shoots are showing.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The large works seem to be on the verge of becoming ghostly, bleached by the same relentless Florida sunlight that makes Miami Beach so visually seductive.
    — Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleached
Adjective
  • The finish is a semi-matte—smooth, satin, and shine-free—that looks looks like velvet on the lips.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Its 85-inch QLED display features a highly matte anti-glare screen, so your art and movies look lifelike without annoying reflections.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of matte
Adjective
  • But most visitors were gathered around one explosively colorful painting in swirling shades of light and dark blue, bottle green, and pale gold.
    — Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, the surrounding sky darkens, increasing the contrast until the pale daytime moon seems to switch on at dusk and grow increasingly brilliant.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • Paired with on-site energy storage, SSTs could turn data centers from blunt-force loads into more flexible participants in the grid.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But also, the audience is not used to people delivering blunt questions — no matter how stupid the answer.
    — Jade Tran, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of blunt

Browse Nearby Words

dullards
dulled
dulling
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Cite this Entry

“Dulled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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