dulling
Making less keen
Dulling is the process of becoming or making less sharp, bright, or intense.
A knife loses its edge through dulling.
Colors fade, pain subsides, senses grow less acute: Years of routine had a dulling effect on his curiosity.
The word often carries negative connotations—something vital being diminished or blunted.
Lacking physical sensation
- deadenDiminish force or sensation
- softenMake less firm
- muteWithout voice or sound
- dampenWet slightly or diminish
cushion · buffer · anesthetize · desensitize · blunt · suppress · diminish · lessen
Tiresome lack of change
- boredomWeary disinterest from monotony
- tediumWearisome dullness
- ennuiWeary, listless dissatisfaction
- drudgeryHard, boring work
repetition · routine · sameness · weariness · fatigue · listlessness · apathy · dreariness
Dull or tactlessly direct
- edgelessWithout a rim
- roundedHaving no sharp angles
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
- whetstoneStone for sharpening blades
grindstone · honing · sharpening · erode · wear · abrade · file · grind
Lacking brilliance or vitality
pale · washed-out · subdued · clouded · hazy · colorless · lusterless · dingy
numb
Lacking physical sensation
dampen · cushion · buffer · anesthetize · desensitize · blunt · suppress · diminish · lessen · reduce
monotony
Tiresome lack of change
drudgery · repetition · routine · sameness · weariness · fatigue · listlessness · apathy · dreariness · staleness
blunt
Dull or tactlessly direct
whetstone · grindstone · honing · sharpening · erode · wear · abrade · file · grind · polish
lackluster
Lacking brilliance or vitality
muted · pale · washed-out · subdued · clouded · hazy · colorless · lusterless · dingy · drab
- desensitizationnumbing, blunting, deadening, anesthetizing, benumbing
- color changedyeing, tinting, fading, bleaching, darkening
- Deteriorationdecay, rot, degradation, deterioration, corrosion
- gradual declinefading, waning, dwindling, diminishing, ebbing
- dimmingfading, darkening, lowering, muting
- numbing effectsnumbing, sedation, anesthesia, desensitizing
dullingbrightening
Increasing in light
intensifying · vivifying · heightening · sharpening · enhancing
dullingenlivening
Making lively or spirited
animating · stimulating · invigorating · quickening · awakening