Meaning & use
dreary
Last updated
UK/ˈdrɪə.ri/
US/ˈdrɪr.i/
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Dull, grey, and lifeless in a way that lowers the spirits.
Grammar: Compares as drearier/dreariest; it describes atmosphere, weather, places, or routines rather than active danger.
Patterns
- dreary weather
- a dreary routine
Dreary rain continued through the whole commute.
She left the job because every day felt like the same dreary routine.
Word forms
| comparative | drearier |
|---|---|
| superlative | dreariest |
Common combinations
- dreary weather
- Dreary weather kept the market stalls half empty.
- dreary routine
- A tiny garden broke up his dreary routine.
- grey and dreary
- The station looked grey and dreary before sunrise.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dull
- Dull is neutral lack of interest; dreary adds a depressing, colourless mood.
- gloomy
- Gloomy can describe dark light or sad feelings; dreary stresses monotony and lack of brightness.
- bleak
- Bleak is harsher and more hopeless; dreary is more flat and tiresome.
Opposites
Word family
- drearily adverb
- In a dull, depressing way.
- dreariness noun
- The quality of being dull and depressing.
Commonly confused: dreary or weary?
dreary vs weary
Weary means tired; dreary describes something that makes you feel low or bored.
Practice
Choose the best sentence.
Choose one answer.
Dreary modifies a noun or follows linking verbs; it cannot take an object or mean an item of clothing.
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