easy
The dreary weather kept us indoors.
What does Dreary mean?
Dreary means dark, dull, or sad.
Dictionary definition
Dull, gloomy, and lacking energy or interest.
Example sentences
Dreary in a sentence
medium
The hallway looked dreary until students added art.
hard
The author used dreary details to show the character's mood.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice dreary in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Dreary
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does dreary mean?
Dreary means dark, dull, or sad.
Practice 2
Which choice is closest in meaning to dreary?
The choice "gloomy" is closest in meaning because dreary means dark, dull, or sad.
Practice 3
Which choice is the best antonym or contrast for dreary?
The choice "cheerful" is a strong contrast because dreary means dark, dull, or sad.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
Pronunciation coach
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Dreary
Voice settings
Sounds like
dreer · ee · strongest beat: dreer
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordDreary.
Partadjective.
MeaningDreary means dark, dull, or sad.
ExampleExample: The dreary weather kept us indoors.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- dreer · ee
- Strongest beat
- dreer
- Ending
- ee
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on dreer.
Your turn
Say Dreary
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Nice work—you practiced dreary.
Synonyms
Words like Dreary
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice dreary synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The room felt gloomy after the rain blocked the sunlight," then compare close word choices. Practice dreary synonyms.
Word family
Dreary word family
Base word
dreary
adjective
dreary
Base form of dreary.
adverb
drearyly
In this manner (when used).
noun
drearyness
State or quality (when used).
Related words
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Student support
Understand Dreary
Hint for students
Dreary means dark, dull, or sad.
Common mix-up
Dreary does not always mean dark. In some sentences, it means dull or sad.
Try it in class or at home
Write two short sentences that use dreary in different ways. Underline the clue words that show which meaning is being used. Example: The hallway looked dreary until students added art. Clue words: hallway, looked, until. Ask: Which meaning of dreary does my sentence show?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to compare meanings of dreary in this model sentence: "The hallway looked dreary until students added art." Which meaning fits, and what context clues prove it?
Learning activities
Practice Dreary and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice DREARY” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
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Sentence Builder
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Context Clue Challenge
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