Word
dreary
Phoneticsdrea·ry, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɹɪɹi/
UK/dɹˈiəɹi/
Definitions
01dull and depressing
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. boring and making you feel unhappy, usually because it is dark, grey, or never changes.
adj. characterised by dullness and a lack of cheer; causing feelings of boredom or mild depression.
“The weather was dreary and grey, so we decided to stay inside all day.”
“After three weeks of dreary rain and overcast skies, the residents were desperate for even a few minutes of direct sunlight.”
02boring and repetitive
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describes work or a situation that is very boring and seems to go on forever.
adj. lacking interest or excitement; monotonous and tiresome in nature.
“He spent the afternoon doing dreary paperwork that no one would ever read.”
“The clerk found the dreary routine of filing invoices increasingly difficult to bear as the years went by.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English drery, from Old English drēoriġ (“sad”), from Proto-Germanic dreuzagaz (“bloody”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰrews- (“to break, break off, crumble”), equivalent to drear + -y. Cognate with Dutch treurig (“sad, gloomy”), Low German trurig (“sad”), German traurig (“sad, sorrowful, mournful”), Old Norse dreyrigr (“bloody”). Related to Old English drēor (“blood, falling blood”), Old English drysmian (“to become gloomy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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