Meaning & use
slate grey
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Dark, cool grey with a slight blue tint, like roofing stone.
Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a linking verb: a slate grey sky; the walls were slate grey.
Patterns
- slate grey walls
The sea turned slate grey as the storm moved in.
She painted the kitchen cabinets slate grey.
He wore a slate grey suit to the interview.
noununcountable
The dark bluish-grey color itself.
Grammar: Uncountable as a color name: the room was painted in slate grey.
Patterns
- in slate grey
The brochure comes in slate grey and white.
Slate grey is a popular choice for modern kitchens.
Common combinations
- slate grey sky
- A slate grey sky hung over the harbor.
- slate grey paint
- We chose slate grey paint for the hallway.
- slate grey suit
- The consultant wore a slate grey suit.
- slate grey eyes
- Her slate grey eyes gave nothing away.
- painted slate grey
- The door was painted slate grey.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charcoal
- Charcoal is darker and closer to black, while slate grey is lighter and has a bluish cast.
- gunmetal
- Gunmetal has a metallic, shiny feel, whereas slate grey is flat and stone-like.
- steel grey
- Steel grey is slightly lighter and cooler, with a more metallic feel.
Word family
Commonly confused: slate grey or slate blue?
slate grey vs slate blue
Slate blue leans clearly towards blue, whereas slate grey is mostly grey with just a hint of blue.
Practice
The sky turned a dark, cool shade of ___ just before the rain.
Choose one answer.
A dark, cool, stormy sky is best described by slate grey. The other colors are bright and do not suit a rain sky.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slate grey”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.