DULLS Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

dulls

verb

present tense third-person singular of dull

as in reduces

to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling the aspirin dulled his headache and he was soon feeling better

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as in fades

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 dulls Monét sings prettily on both duets, but their conventionality dulls her shine. — Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026 Key Takeaways Airborne hydrogen sulfide dulls silver, so many pieces need regular cleaning. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026 Oversaturating floors can result in mold or mildew growth, lifting, warping, or swelling, while the soap can also leave behind a residue that dulls the finish, creating a cloudy or streaky appearance. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026 But Aroonpheng’s worldbuilding is arcane to a fault, with no thanks to a weirdly flat rhythm that dulls the excitement of the film’s many narrative swerves. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Over time, these harsh or oily formulas leave behind residue that dulls the shine and attracts dirt, making your floors look cloudy instead of clean. — Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026 Perhaps the palm-tree mural emphasizes the open windowlessness of the subterranean, or the flat color dulls exertion. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 Your taste buds change at altitude Cabin pressure dulls your ability to taste salt by up to 30%, which is why airline food can taste bland and, well, terrible. — Cindy Dees, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 The 22-year-old was long considered ill-suited for grass, given how the surface dulls the athletic foundation of her game and rushes her forehand. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dulls

Verb

This reduces the turbulence around the suspension and in the trailer’s wake, and lowers the aerodynamic drag.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
There are studies suggesting that being on a regular training regimen reduces your risk of cancer recurrence.

— Samantha Ciaccia, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of reduces

Verb

The film is set in Lucknow as the age of the nawabs (Muslim nobles) fades.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Speed without a foundation collapses, and attention in a crowded market fades fast, but trust endures; and trust is exactly what this channel builds.

— Joel Goldstein, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of fades

Verb

Martin uses a color extractor to remove existing dye, then bleaches the hair (except the gray roots) to get it as light as possible.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
His owner, Hannah Gleason from Oklahoma, told Newsweek that the merle gene isn’t a coloring gene rather than a gene that bleaches the fur and causes lack of pigmentation which can lead to birth defects, blindness, deafness, or sometimes all three.

— Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

Definition of bleaches

Verb

Pyrad works by instantaneously thickening when exposed to fire, forming a char that diminishes heat exposure, extinguishes flames, and decreases the risk of third-degree burns.

— Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
By effectively raising the threshold in the playoffs, the NFL acknowledges that over-officiating diminishes the product and that marginal penalties should not decide its most important games.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminishes

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dullness

dulls

dullsville

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“Dulls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dulls. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dulls

verb

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