How to pronounce dull
Say it like DUHL. Dull is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dull. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DUHL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dull pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DUHLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of dull
American and British speakers say dull in essentially the same way: /dʌl/ in the US and /dʌl/ in the UK.
British respelling: DUHL.
What does dull mean?
- lacking in liveliness or animation“he was so dull at parties”“a dull political campaign”
- emitting or reflecting very little light“a dull glow”“dull silver badly in need of a polish”
- being or made softer or less loud or clear“the dull boom of distant breaking waves”“muffled drums”
- make dull in appearance“Age had dulled the surface”
- become dull or lusterless in appearance; lose shine or brightness“the varnished table top dulled with time”
- deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
Where does dull come from?
Cognate with Scots dull, doll (“slow to understand or hear, deaf, dull”), North Frisian dol (“rash, unthinking, giddy, flippant”), Dutch dol (“crazy, mad, insane”), Low German dul, dol (“mad, silly, stupid, fatuous”), German toll (“crazy, m
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with dull
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dull.
Questions about saying dull
How do you pronounce dull?
Say DUHL. The American pronunciation is /dʌl/. In British English it is /dʌl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dull?
Dull is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DUHL.
Do Americans and Brits say dull the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʌl/ and the British form is /dʌl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.