# grey

/ˈɡɹeɪ/ (US) · /ɡɹˈeɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grey
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. colour

adjective · CEFR A1 · British English

having the colour of smoke or a cloudy sky.

For teachers: of an achromatic colour intermediate between black and white.

- The cat had soft grey fur and bright green eyes.
- The concrete facade of the building appeared particularly grey and imposing against the backdrop of the winter sky.

Usage: Standard spelling in British English and most Commonwealth nations.

### 2. hair/age

adjective · CEFR A2 · British English

having hair that has turned white or silver because of age.

For teachers: having hair that has lost its pigment, typically due to the aging process.

- My father started going grey when he was only thirty years old.
- Although he was relatively young, the stress of the position had left him noticeably grey at the temples.

### 3. dull or sad

adjective · CEFR B1 · British English

boring, sad, or without any bright features.

For teachers: characterised by a lack of interest, spirit, or cheer; dismal and monotonous.

- It was a grey, rainy afternoon with nothing fun to do.
- The novel depicts the grey, repetitive existence of a clerk working in a vast bureaucracy during the mid-twentieth century.

### 4. the colour

noun · CEFR A2 · British English

the actual colour between black and white.

For teachers: an achromatic colour intermediate between black and white; a neutral hue.

- She dressed entirely in grey to look professional for the interview.
- The artist used various shades of grey to create a sense of depth and shadow without using any actual pigment.

### 5. to become grey

verb · CEFR B2 · British English

to become grey, especially when talking about hair or the sky.

For teachers: to become grey or to cause something to become grey; often used intransitively regarding hair or weather.

- As the sun went down, the sky began to grey.
- The population of the island has continued to grey as younger residents move to the mainland for work.

## Examples

- The sky turned a dark grey before the storm.
- She chose a soft shade of grey for the bedroom walls to create a calm atmosphere.
- The artist used various tones of grey to capture the subtle play of light and shadow across the concrete landscape of the city.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.