dreary

[dreer-ee]

adjective

drearier, dreariest 

1. causing sadness or gloom.

   Synonyms: comfortless, depressing, cheerless, drear, dismal, gloomy
   Antonyms: cheerful

2. dull; boring.

   Synonyms: tiresome, wearisome, monotonous, tedious
   Antonyms: interesting

3. sorrowful; sad.

dreary

/ ˈdrɪərɪ /

adjective

1. sad or dull; dismal

2. wearying; boring

3. archaic,  miserable

Other Word Forms

• drearily adverb
• dreariness noun
• drearisome adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dreary¹

before 900; Middle English drery, Old English drēorig gory, cruel, sad, equivalent to drēor gore + -ig -y ¹; akin to Old Norse dreyrigr bloody, German traurig sad

Word History and Origins

Origin of dreary¹

Old English drēorig gory; related to Old High German trūreg sad

Example Sentences

Black Friday did not exist when I was growing up in the dreary 1950s.

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Fuel those escapist daydreams with travel inspiration ideal for decorating dreary cubicles.

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It’s wonderful, damp, dreary, and the pubs are open.”

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She marched the trio through the halls until they reached the entryway, where a large, dreary painting loomed.

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The dreary weekend is expected to be followed by a gray week that will push this month’s rainfall total well past the 1985 benchmark.

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Related Words

• bleak 
• boring 
• colorless 
• damp 
• depressing 
• dingy 
• dismal 
• drab 
• dull 
• forlorn 
• humdrum 
• lonely 
• monotonous 
• sad 
• somber 
• tedious 
• uneventful 
• uninteresting 
• windy 
• wintry