dict_dl/en_MerriamWebster/dul_MW.json

{
  "dulcet":{
    "antonyms":[
      "disagreeable",
      "pleasureless",
      "unpalatable",
      "unpleasant",
      "unwelcome"
    ],
    "definitions":{
      ": generally pleasing or agreeable":[
        "a dulcet smile"
      ],
      ": pleasing to the ear":[
        "dulcet tones"
      ],
      ": sweet to the taste":[]
    },
    "examples":[
      "the dulcet tones of her voice",
      "although she flashed a dulcet smile, she was secretly seething with resentment",
      "Recent Examples on the Web",
      "The first teaser for Distant Lands featured the soft, dulcet tones of BMO singing a song, as performed by voice actor Niki Yang, and the clip reveals more of the on-screen tune. \u2014 EW.com , 11 June 2020",
      "Somewhere, a Bluetooth speaker was stashed away and playing the kind of soft, dulcet melodies heard in expensive spas. \u2014 New York Times , 6 Dec. 2019",
      "But inside and down a few stairs, there is faint, dulcet chanting piped through speakers. \u2014 Written By Kaya Laterman; Photographs By Mark Abramson, New York Times , 22 Dec. 2017",
      "The dulcet tones of Kylie Jenner's secret album made with input from Kanye and Tyga"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{
      "Middle English doucet , from Anglo-French, from duz, douz sweet, from Latin dulcis ; perhaps akin to Greek glykys sweet":""
    },
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259l-s\u0259t"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"",
    "synonyms":[
      "agreeable",
      "blessed",
      "blest",
      "congenial",
      "darling",
      "delectable",
      "delicious",
      "delightful",
      "delightsome",
      "dreamy",
      "enjoyable",
      "felicitous",
      "good",
      "grateful",
      "gratifying",
      "heavenly",
      "jolly",
      "luscious",
      "nice",
      "palatable",
      "pleasant",
      "pleasing",
      "pleasurable",
      "pretty",
      "satisfying",
      "savory",
      "savoury",
      "sweet",
      "tasty",
      "welcome"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-192740",
    "type":[
      "adjective",
      "adverb"
    ]
  },
  "dull":{
    "antonyms":[
      "benumb",
      "blunt",
      "cauterize",
      "damp",
      "dampen",
      "deaden",
      "numb"
    ],
    "definitions":{
      ": cloudy":[
        "dull weather"
      ],
      ": lacking brilliance or luster":[
        "a dull finish"
      ],
      ": lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness":[
        "a dull ache"
      ],
      ": lacking sharpness of edge or point":[
        "a dull knife"
      ],
      ": lacking zest (see zest sense 2 ) or vivacity : listless":[
        "a dull performance"
      ],
      ": low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a ) and low in lightness":[
        "a dull green"
      ],
      ": mentally slow : stupid":[],
      ": not resonant or ringing":[
        "a dull booming sound"
      ],
      ": slow in action : sluggish":[
        "dull markets"
      ],
      ": slow in perception or sensibility : insensible":[
        "somewhat dull of hearing",
        "dull to what went on about her",
        "\u2014 Willa Cather"
      ],
      ": tedious , uninteresting":[
        "dull lectures"
      ],
      ": to become dull":[
        "The blade dulled with use."
      ],
      ": to make dull":[
        "dull a knife's edge"
      ]
    },
    "examples":[
      "Adjective",
      "the dull roar of the crowd",
      "the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it",
      "Verb",
      "Fog dulled the morning sunlight.",
      "Special earplugs dulled the sound of the chain saw.",
      "His hair dulled as he aged.",
      "The dog's eyes dulled as he got sick.",
      "She takes medicine to dull the pain.",
      "Fear dulled his need for adventure.",
      "The knife was dulled from use.",
      "The blade should be replaced as soon as it dulls .",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective",
      "Zinfandels tended to be heavy and dull , Pinot Noirs tasted like fruit bombs, Sauvignon Blancs like fruit punch and Rieslings were flabby. \u2014 John Mariani, Forbes , 17 June 2022",
      "His choreography presents the Taylor company dancers, costumed by Clarion Overmoyer in dull , baggy two-piece outfits and socks, as drab and thanklessly challenged. \u2014 Robert Greskovic, WSJ , 17 June 2022",
      "That shift in locale comes like a breath of fresh air after intermission, since Todd Rosenthal\u2019s set design for the eccentric storefront is way more fun to look at than all those dull wine bottles in the first half. \u2014 Chris Willman, Variety , 16 June 2022",
      "Dust, sweat, lotion, food, and dirt can affect the way your watch band looks and dull or discolor the material. \u2014 Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens , 16 June 2022",
      "The Suzani area rug livens up dull , lifeless rooms with its vibrant hues and decorative floral pattern. \u2014 Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure , 13 June 2022",
      "Per Greg Prodromides, La Prairie\u2019s chief marketing officer, the product is best for those with skin that is fragile, thin, dry, rough and dull , and/or deficient in nutrients. \u2014 Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR , 9 June 2022",
      "Vitamin C is a brightening agent that can help your skin get out of a dull situation. \u2014 Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune , 7 June 2022",
      "By the same token, in what can seem like a dull , gray, repressive situation \u2014 a place like New York in the 1960s, where gay people had been struggling for generations \u2014 Stonewall can happen. \u2014 Zan Romanoff, Los Angeles Times , 6 June 2022",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Verb",
      "Smith said access was a prime reason why marginalized groups would seek to dull the pressures of the world through alcohol. \u2014 John-john Williams Iv, Baltimore Sun , 23 June 2022",
      "France isn\u2019t the only country spending lavishly to dull the effects of the energy crisis. \u2014 Eric Sylvers, WSJ , 18 June 2022",
      "Some of the political satire's bite has faded as our world has become more absurd and shocking, but that doesn't dull the sharpness of star Julia Louis-Dreyfus' performance in the HBO Emmy-favorite. \u2014 Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY , 16 June 2022",
      "Higher interest rates tend to dull the allure of companies that are hoping to deliver big profits years down the line. \u2014 Akane Otani, WSJ , 20 May 2022",
      "Vaccination appears to dull the subvariants' edge, however. \u2014 Beth Mole, Ars Technica , 2 May 2022",
      "The point of the satire, so perfectly sharp in the initial confrontations \u2014 with White and Nakamura making a terrific comedy team \u2014 begins to dull as the emphasis shifts from verbal to physical humor. \u2014 New York Times , 27 Apr. 2022",
      "Billy, who struggles with a mood disorder and was psychologically abused by his father, relies on escapist storytelling and alcohol to dull his pain. \u2014 Leah Tyler, ajc , 25 Apr. 2022",
      "The ease with which some Russians are moving money via crypto doesn't necessarily dull the pain of sanctions since crypto remains niche and accessible to only a sliver of the population, Reynolds says. \u2014 Yvonne Lau, Fortune , 30 Mar. 2022"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7":"Adjective",
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense":"Verb"
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{
      "Middle English dul ; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind":"Adjective and Verb"
    },
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259l"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for dull Adjective dull , blunt , obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute. dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency. a dull pain a dull mind blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception. a person of blunt sensibility obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination. too obtuse to take the hint synonyms see in addition stupid",
    "synonyms":[
      "blunt",
      "blunted",
      "dulled",
      "obtuse"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220707-060612",
    "type":[
      "adjective",
      "adverb",
      "noun",
      "verb"
    ]
  },
  "dullard":{
    "antonyms":[
      "brain",
      "genius"
    ],
    "definitions":{
      ": a stupid or unimaginative person":[]
    },
    "examples":[
      "The company is run by a bunch of dullards .",
      "often mistaken for a dullard because he never said much in discussions",
      "Recent Examples on the Web",
      "Moreover, that dullard of a husband, Richard (the late Don Galloway, who later in life wrote a libertarian newspaper column), is the secret hero of the film. \u2014 Kyle Smith, National Review , 7 Apr. 2021",
      "Perhaps, but like his dullard son-in-law who\u2019s trying to split the vote by putting a troubled rapper on the ballot, the president playing a song in recognizable Republican chords. \u2014 Adam Weinstein, The New Republic , 18 Aug. 2020",
      "April 7, 2020 The same goes for clueless, kilt-wearing dullard Sidney (Tim Key); Amanda\u2019s aggressively insecure boyfriend, Chaz (Allan Mustafa); and the gabby, tactless Rebecca (Aisling Bea). \u2014 Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times , 10 Apr. 2020",
      "Yet, the film waves off character development and merely side-eyes its frustrations with capitalism in its rush to convince us that this dullard is in fact a supervillain who is game to manipulate, maim and poison for a marble firepit. \u2014 Amy Nicholson, New York Times , 25 Mar. 2020",
      "All the characters, from the callow manipulators to the well-meaning dullards , are awash in clich\u00e9. \u2014 Susanna Lee, The Conversation , 10 Jan. 2020",
      "There are cheapskates galore, dissemblers, busybodies, dullards and charlatans. \u2014 A.e. Stallings, WSJ , 7 Dec. 2018",
      "Usually the equal-weight S&P does better, as smaller members of the index outperform the dullards at the top. \u2014 James Mackintosh, WSJ , 14 June 2018",
      "Fishes have long been dismissed as dullards , but new observations and studies are proving this assumption wrong. \u2014 Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American , 1 May 2017"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "15th century, in the meaning defined above":""
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{},
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259-l\u0259rd"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"",
    "synonyms":[
      "airhead",
      "birdbrain",
      "blockhead",
      "bonehead",
      "bubblehead",
      "chowderhead",
      "chucklehead",
      "clodpoll",
      "clodpole",
      "clot",
      "cluck",
      "clunk",
      "cretin",
      "cuddy",
      "cuddie",
      "deadhead",
      "dim bulb",
      "dimwit",
      "dip",
      "dodo",
      "dolt",
      "donkey",
      "doofus",
      "dope",
      "dork",
      "dum-dum",
      "dumbbell",
      "dumbhead",
      "dummkopf",
      "dummy",
      "dunce",
      "dunderhead",
      "fathead",
      "gander",
      "golem",
      "goof",
      "goon",
      "half-wit",
      "hammerhead",
      "hardhead",
      "idiot",
      "ignoramus",
      "imbecile",
      "jackass",
      "know-nothing",
      "knucklehead",
      "lamebrain",
      "loggerhead",
      "loon",
      "lump",
      "lunkhead",
      "meathead",
      "mome",
      "moron",
      "mug",
      "mutt",
      "natural",
      "nimrod",
      "nincompoop",
      "ninny",
      "ninnyhammer",
      "nit",
      "nitwit",
      "noddy",
      "noodle",
      "numskull",
      "numbskull",
      "oaf",
      "pinhead",
      "prat",
      "ratbag",
      "saphead",
      "schlub",
      "shlub",
      "schnook",
      "simpleton",
      "stock",
      "stupe",
      "stupid",
      "thickhead",
      "turkey",
      "woodenhead",
      "yahoo",
      "yo-yo"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220707-043219",
    "type":[
      "noun"
    ]
  },
  "dulled":{
    "antonyms":[
      "benumb",
      "blunt",
      "cauterize",
      "damp",
      "dampen",
      "deaden",
      "numb"
    ],
    "definitions":{
      ": cloudy":[
        "dull weather"
      ],
      ": lacking brilliance or luster":[
        "a dull finish"
      ],
      ": lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness":[
        "a dull ache"
      ],
      ": lacking sharpness of edge or point":[
        "a dull knife"
      ],
      ": lacking zest (see zest sense 2 ) or vivacity : listless":[
        "a dull performance"
      ],
      ": low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a ) and low in lightness":[
        "a dull green"
      ],
      ": mentally slow : stupid":[],
      ": not resonant or ringing":[
        "a dull booming sound"
      ],
      ": slow in action : sluggish":[
        "dull markets"
      ],
      ": slow in perception or sensibility : insensible":[
        "somewhat dull of hearing",
        "dull to what went on about her",
        "\u2014 Willa Cather"
      ],
      ": tedious , uninteresting":[
        "dull lectures"
      ],
      ": to become dull":[
        "The blade dulled with use."
      ],
      ": to make dull":[
        "dull a knife's edge"
      ]
    },
    "examples":[
      "Adjective",
      "the dull roar of the crowd",
      "the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it",
      "Verb",
      "Fog dulled the morning sunlight.",
      "Special earplugs dulled the sound of the chain saw.",
      "His hair dulled as he aged.",
      "The dog's eyes dulled as he got sick.",
      "She takes medicine to dull the pain.",
      "Fear dulled his need for adventure.",
      "The knife was dulled from use.",
      "The blade should be replaced as soon as it dulls .",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective",
      "Zinfandels tended to be heavy and dull , Pinot Noirs tasted like fruit bombs, Sauvignon Blancs like fruit punch and Rieslings were flabby. \u2014 John Mariani, Forbes , 17 June 2022",
      "His choreography presents the Taylor company dancers, costumed by Clarion Overmoyer in dull , baggy two-piece outfits and socks, as drab and thanklessly challenged. \u2014 Robert Greskovic, WSJ , 17 June 2022",
      "That shift in locale comes like a breath of fresh air after intermission, since Todd Rosenthal\u2019s set design for the eccentric storefront is way more fun to look at than all those dull wine bottles in the first half. \u2014 Chris Willman, Variety , 16 June 2022",
      "Dust, sweat, lotion, food, and dirt can affect the way your watch band looks and dull or discolor the material. \u2014 Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens , 16 June 2022",
      "The Suzani area rug livens up dull , lifeless rooms with its vibrant hues and decorative floral pattern. \u2014 Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure , 13 June 2022",
      "Per Greg Prodromides, La Prairie\u2019s chief marketing officer, the product is best for those with skin that is fragile, thin, dry, rough and dull , and/or deficient in nutrients. \u2014 Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR , 9 June 2022",
      "Vitamin C is a brightening agent that can help your skin get out of a dull situation. \u2014 Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune , 7 June 2022",
      "By the same token, in what can seem like a dull , gray, repressive situation \u2014 a place like New York in the 1960s, where gay people had been struggling for generations \u2014 Stonewall can happen. \u2014 Zan Romanoff, Los Angeles Times , 6 June 2022",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Verb",
      "Smith said access was a prime reason why marginalized groups would seek to dull the pressures of the world through alcohol. \u2014 John-john Williams Iv, Baltimore Sun , 23 June 2022",
      "France isn\u2019t the only country spending lavishly to dull the effects of the energy crisis. \u2014 Eric Sylvers, WSJ , 18 June 2022",
      "Some of the political satire's bite has faded as our world has become more absurd and shocking, but that doesn't dull the sharpness of star Julia Louis-Dreyfus' performance in the HBO Emmy-favorite. \u2014 Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY , 16 June 2022",
      "Higher interest rates tend to dull the allure of companies that are hoping to deliver big profits years down the line. \u2014 Akane Otani, WSJ , 20 May 2022",
      "Vaccination appears to dull the subvariants' edge, however. \u2014 Beth Mole, Ars Technica , 2 May 2022",
      "The point of the satire, so perfectly sharp in the initial confrontations \u2014 with White and Nakamura making a terrific comedy team \u2014 begins to dull as the emphasis shifts from verbal to physical humor. \u2014 New York Times , 27 Apr. 2022",
      "Billy, who struggles with a mood disorder and was psychologically abused by his father, relies on escapist storytelling and alcohol to dull his pain. \u2014 Leah Tyler, ajc , 25 Apr. 2022",
      "The ease with which some Russians are moving money via crypto doesn't necessarily dull the pain of sanctions since crypto remains niche and accessible to only a sliver of the population, Reynolds says. \u2014 Yvonne Lau, Fortune , 30 Mar. 2022"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7":"Adjective",
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense":"Verb"
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{
      "Middle English dul ; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind":"Adjective and Verb"
    },
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259l"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for dull Adjective dull , blunt , obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute. dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency. a dull pain a dull mind blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception. a person of blunt sensibility obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination. too obtuse to take the hint synonyms see in addition stupid",
    "synonyms":[
      "blunt",
      "blunted",
      "dulled",
      "obtuse"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-210711",
    "type":[
      "adjective",
      "adverb",
      "noun",
      "verb"
    ]
  },
  "dullness":{
    "antonyms":[
      "benumb",
      "blunt",
      "cauterize",
      "damp",
      "dampen",
      "deaden",
      "numb"
    ],
    "definitions":{
      ": cloudy":[
        "dull weather"
      ],
      ": lacking brilliance or luster":[
        "a dull finish"
      ],
      ": lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness":[
        "a dull ache"
      ],
      ": lacking sharpness of edge or point":[
        "a dull knife"
      ],
      ": lacking zest (see zest sense 2 ) or vivacity : listless":[
        "a dull performance"
      ],
      ": low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a ) and low in lightness":[
        "a dull green"
      ],
      ": mentally slow : stupid":[],
      ": not resonant or ringing":[
        "a dull booming sound"
      ],
      ": slow in action : sluggish":[
        "dull markets"
      ],
      ": slow in perception or sensibility : insensible":[
        "somewhat dull of hearing",
        "dull to what went on about her",
        "\u2014 Willa Cather"
      ],
      ": tedious , uninteresting":[
        "dull lectures"
      ],
      ": to become dull":[
        "The blade dulled with use."
      ],
      ": to make dull":[
        "dull a knife's edge"
      ]
    },
    "examples":[
      "Adjective",
      "the dull roar of the crowd",
      "the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it",
      "Verb",
      "Fog dulled the morning sunlight.",
      "Special earplugs dulled the sound of the chain saw.",
      "His hair dulled as he aged.",
      "The dog's eyes dulled as he got sick.",
      "She takes medicine to dull the pain.",
      "Fear dulled his need for adventure.",
      "The knife was dulled from use.",
      "The blade should be replaced as soon as it dulls .",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective",
      "Zinfandels tended to be heavy and dull , Pinot Noirs tasted like fruit bombs, Sauvignon Blancs like fruit punch and Rieslings were flabby. \u2014 John Mariani, Forbes , 17 June 2022",
      "His choreography presents the Taylor company dancers, costumed by Clarion Overmoyer in dull , baggy two-piece outfits and socks, as drab and thanklessly challenged. \u2014 Robert Greskovic, WSJ , 17 June 2022",
      "That shift in locale comes like a breath of fresh air after intermission, since Todd Rosenthal\u2019s set design for the eccentric storefront is way more fun to look at than all those dull wine bottles in the first half. \u2014 Chris Willman, Variety , 16 June 2022",
      "Dust, sweat, lotion, food, and dirt can affect the way your watch band looks and dull or discolor the material. \u2014 Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens , 16 June 2022",
      "The Suzani area rug livens up dull , lifeless rooms with its vibrant hues and decorative floral pattern. \u2014 Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure , 13 June 2022",
      "Per Greg Prodromides, La Prairie\u2019s chief marketing officer, the product is best for those with skin that is fragile, thin, dry, rough and dull , and/or deficient in nutrients. \u2014 Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR , 9 June 2022",
      "Vitamin C is a brightening agent that can help your skin get out of a dull situation. \u2014 Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune , 7 June 2022",
      "By the same token, in what can seem like a dull , gray, repressive situation \u2014 a place like New York in the 1960s, where gay people had been struggling for generations \u2014 Stonewall can happen. \u2014 Zan Romanoff, Los Angeles Times , 6 June 2022",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Verb",
      "Smith said access was a prime reason why marginalized groups would seek to dull the pressures of the world through alcohol. \u2014 John-john Williams Iv, Baltimore Sun , 23 June 2022",
      "France isn\u2019t the only country spending lavishly to dull the effects of the energy crisis. \u2014 Eric Sylvers, WSJ , 18 June 2022",
      "Some of the political satire's bite has faded as our world has become more absurd and shocking, but that doesn't dull the sharpness of star Julia Louis-Dreyfus' performance in the HBO Emmy-favorite. \u2014 Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY , 16 June 2022",
      "Higher interest rates tend to dull the allure of companies that are hoping to deliver big profits years down the line. \u2014 Akane Otani, WSJ , 20 May 2022",
      "Vaccination appears to dull the subvariants' edge, however. \u2014 Beth Mole, Ars Technica , 2 May 2022",
      "The point of the satire, so perfectly sharp in the initial confrontations \u2014 with White and Nakamura making a terrific comedy team \u2014 begins to dull as the emphasis shifts from verbal to physical humor. \u2014 New York Times , 27 Apr. 2022",
      "Billy, who struggles with a mood disorder and was psychologically abused by his father, relies on escapist storytelling and alcohol to dull his pain. \u2014 Leah Tyler, ajc , 25 Apr. 2022",
      "The ease with which some Russians are moving money via crypto doesn't necessarily dull the pain of sanctions since crypto remains niche and accessible to only a sliver of the population, Reynolds says. \u2014 Yvonne Lau, Fortune , 30 Mar. 2022"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7":"Adjective",
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense":"Verb"
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{
      "Middle English dul ; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind":"Adjective and Verb"
    },
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259l"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for dull Adjective dull , blunt , obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute. dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency. a dull pain a dull mind blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception. a person of blunt sensibility obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination. too obtuse to take the hint synonyms see in addition stupid",
    "synonyms":[
      "blunt",
      "blunted",
      "dulled",
      "obtuse"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220707-110147",
    "type":[
      "adjective",
      "adverb",
      "noun",
      "verb"
    ]
  },
  "dullsville":{
    "antonyms":[],
    "definitions":{
      ": something or some place that is dull or boring":[
        "the movie was dullsville"
      ]
    },
    "examples":[
      "that book is totally dullsville \u2014you'll be asleep by page three",
      "Recent Examples on the Web",
      "Speaking of winds, attempting to surf off Galveston in the summertime is dullsville . \u2014 Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle , 16 Mar. 2020",
      "Next, if things remain dullsville , Anton Blidh could draw into the lineup. \u2014 Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com , 16 Jan. 2020"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "circa 1960, in the meaning defined above":""
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{},
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259lz-\u02ccvil"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"",
    "synonyms":[
      "bore",
      "drag",
      "drip",
      "droner",
      "nudnik",
      "nudnick",
      "snooze",
      "snoozer",
      "yawn",
      "yawner"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-222956",
    "type":[
      "noun"
    ]
  },
  "dulness":{
    "antonyms":[
      "benumb",
      "blunt",
      "cauterize",
      "damp",
      "dampen",
      "deaden",
      "numb"
    ],
    "definitions":{
      ": cloudy":[
        "dull weather"
      ],
      ": lacking brilliance or luster":[
        "a dull finish"
      ],
      ": lacking in force, intensity, or sharpness":[
        "a dull ache"
      ],
      ": lacking sharpness of edge or point":[
        "a dull knife"
      ],
      ": lacking zest (see zest sense 2 ) or vivacity : listless":[
        "a dull performance"
      ],
      ": low in saturation (see saturation sense 4a ) and low in lightness":[
        "a dull green"
      ],
      ": mentally slow : stupid":[],
      ": not resonant or ringing":[
        "a dull booming sound"
      ],
      ": slow in action : sluggish":[
        "dull markets"
      ],
      ": slow in perception or sensibility : insensible":[
        "somewhat dull of hearing",
        "dull to what went on about her",
        "\u2014 Willa Cather"
      ],
      ": tedious , uninteresting":[
        "dull lectures"
      ],
      ": to become dull":[
        "The blade dulled with use."
      ],
      ": to make dull":[
        "dull a knife's edge"
      ]
    },
    "examples":[
      "Adjective",
      "the dull roar of the crowd",
      "the dull knife just bounced off the skin of the tomato without cutting it",
      "Verb",
      "Fog dulled the morning sunlight.",
      "Special earplugs dulled the sound of the chain saw.",
      "His hair dulled as he aged.",
      "The dog's eyes dulled as he got sick.",
      "She takes medicine to dull the pain.",
      "Fear dulled his need for adventure.",
      "The knife was dulled from use.",
      "The blade should be replaced as soon as it dulls .",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective",
      "Zinfandels tended to be heavy and dull , Pinot Noirs tasted like fruit bombs, Sauvignon Blancs like fruit punch and Rieslings were flabby. \u2014 John Mariani, Forbes , 17 June 2022",
      "His choreography presents the Taylor company dancers, costumed by Clarion Overmoyer in dull , baggy two-piece outfits and socks, as drab and thanklessly challenged. \u2014 Robert Greskovic, WSJ , 17 June 2022",
      "That shift in locale comes like a breath of fresh air after intermission, since Todd Rosenthal\u2019s set design for the eccentric storefront is way more fun to look at than all those dull wine bottles in the first half. \u2014 Chris Willman, Variety , 16 June 2022",
      "Dust, sweat, lotion, food, and dirt can affect the way your watch band looks and dull or discolor the material. \u2014 Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens , 16 June 2022",
      "The Suzani area rug livens up dull , lifeless rooms with its vibrant hues and decorative floral pattern. \u2014 Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure , 13 June 2022",
      "Per Greg Prodromides, La Prairie\u2019s chief marketing officer, the product is best for those with skin that is fragile, thin, dry, rough and dull , and/or deficient in nutrients. \u2014 Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR , 9 June 2022",
      "Vitamin C is a brightening agent that can help your skin get out of a dull situation. \u2014 Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune , 7 June 2022",
      "By the same token, in what can seem like a dull , gray, repressive situation \u2014 a place like New York in the 1960s, where gay people had been struggling for generations \u2014 Stonewall can happen. \u2014 Zan Romanoff, Los Angeles Times , 6 June 2022",
      "Recent Examples on the Web: Verb",
      "Smith said access was a prime reason why marginalized groups would seek to dull the pressures of the world through alcohol. \u2014 John-john Williams Iv, Baltimore Sun , 23 June 2022",
      "France isn\u2019t the only country spending lavishly to dull the effects of the energy crisis. \u2014 Eric Sylvers, WSJ , 18 June 2022",
      "Some of the political satire's bite has faded as our world has become more absurd and shocking, but that doesn't dull the sharpness of star Julia Louis-Dreyfus' performance in the HBO Emmy-favorite. \u2014 Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY , 16 June 2022",
      "Higher interest rates tend to dull the allure of companies that are hoping to deliver big profits years down the line. \u2014 Akane Otani, WSJ , 20 May 2022",
      "Vaccination appears to dull the subvariants' edge, however. \u2014 Beth Mole, Ars Technica , 2 May 2022",
      "The point of the satire, so perfectly sharp in the initial confrontations \u2014 with White and Nakamura making a terrific comedy team \u2014 begins to dull as the emphasis shifts from verbal to physical humor. \u2014 New York Times , 27 Apr. 2022",
      "Billy, who struggles with a mood disorder and was psychologically abused by his father, relies on escapist storytelling and alcohol to dull his pain. \u2014 Leah Tyler, ajc , 25 Apr. 2022",
      "The ease with which some Russians are moving money via crypto doesn't necessarily dull the pain of sanctions since crypto remains niche and accessible to only a sliver of the population, Reynolds says. \u2014 Yvonne Lau, Fortune , 30 Mar. 2022"
    ],
    "first_known_use":{
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7":"Adjective",
      "13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense":"Verb"
    },
    "history_and_etymology":{
      "Middle English dul ; akin to Old English dol foolish, Old Irish dall blind":"Adjective and Verb"
    },
    "pronounciation":[
      "\u02c8d\u0259l"
    ],
    "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for dull Adjective dull , blunt , obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute. dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency. a dull pain a dull mind blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception. a person of blunt sensibility obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination. too obtuse to take the hint synonyms see in addition stupid",
    "synonyms":[
      "blunt",
      "blunted",
      "dulled",
      "obtuse"
    ],
    "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-224250",
    "type":[
      "adjective",
      "adverb",
      "noun",
      "verb"
    ]
  }
}