drear 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdrir How to pronounce drear (audio)
Definition of drearnext
1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer it was a drear morning in January when I went to take my driving test

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
causing unhappiness a barren and drear existence in a remote village

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

drear

2 of 2

noun

as in moroseness

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drear
Adjective
As the world begins to emerge from the drear of winter, kids especially are looking to get out of the house. — Lynne Sullivan, The Providence Journal, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drear
  1. bleak
  2. sad
  3. ennui
  4. lonely
  5. depressing
  6. tedium
  7. dark
  8. pathetic
Adjective
  • Whether or not this year takes the top slot in that bleak ranking is still unclear.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Its successes have provided a spark of optimism in what has otherwise been a bleak few months for Ukraine.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Spark, a writer of the first rank, brought her beautifully to life in this moving, rather sad novel of Edinburgh in the 1930s.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And yet the allegation against her now enters Orange County’s long, sad spectrum of anti-Mexican political history.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of sad
Noun
  • From sickness and ennui came the writing of an algorithm that would solve the underlying mathematics of the bomb.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Sophie Okonedo and Queen Charlotte’s India Amarteifio play the title character, whose political idealism has curdled into middle-class ennui.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of ennui
Adjective
  • Bilbao seems to be a central character in the film, sometimes portrayed as lonely, dark and gritty.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • People report feeling less lonely after chatting with an AI companion, which resembles seeking comfort.
    — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • There will be pockets of opportunities from these old big department stores, which are underinvested and a bit depressing to walk around.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In the wake of a depressing 69-93 season that sputtered out from the get-go, as so many a Royals campaign does, the club promptly made some substantial changes.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Noun
  • That tedium could result in companies pushing uninspired and buggy products.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 23 Sep. 2026
  • This is a filmmaker who simply doesn’t know when to stop, as also evidenced by the film’s bloated 142-minute running time that lets narrative tedium set in.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tedium
Adjective
  • There’s nothing about the white bedding, dark-wood furniture, and tan carpeting that will knock your socks off—but nothing that will make your toes curl, either.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Guadagnino and screenwriter Simon Rich mold the material from dark humor through technocratic giddiness to sobering horror.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • The Chargers' offense mustered a pathetic 14 points all game.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • It’s also brilliantly written as a futile, pathetic rebellion by men with zero agency or purpose in their own lives.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of pathetic

Browse Nearby Words

dreamy
drear
drearily
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Cite this Entry

“Drear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drear. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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