Word
greyish
Phoneticsgrey·ish
UK/ɡɹˈeɪɪʃ/
US spelling · grayish
Definition
adj. a little grey in colour, not a full or strong grey. You use it when something looks mostly another colour but has a touch of grey.
adj. having a slight or partial grey colour, often mixed with another hue. Often modified by degree words such as 'slightly' or 'rather'.
Examples
“The sky looks greyish before the rain starts.”
“She buys greyish paint for the bedroom walls to keep the room calm and bright.”
“The morning light gave the old photographs a greyish tone that made the summer garden look distant and quiet.”
Examples
simple
“The sky looks greyish before the rain starts.”
contextual
“She buys greyish paint for the bedroom walls to keep the room calm and bright.”
complex
“The morning light gave the old photographs a greyish tone that made the summer garden look distant and quiet.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “greyish” in context.
Verb
01. appear greyish
“The mountains appear greyish in the early morning.”
verb + adj
02. look greyish
“His face looked greyish after the long flight.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. dull greyish
“The sea looked dull greyish under the cloudy sky.”
adj + adj
04. pale greyish
“She wore a pale greyish sweater on the cold morning.”
adj + adj
05. slightly greyish
“The walls looked slightly greyish after years of smoke.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. greyish hair
“My grandfather has short greyish hair and kind eyes.”
adj + noun
07. greyish skin
“His skin looked greyish and he seemed very tired.”
adj + noun
08. greyish sky
“We walked home under a greyish sky before the rain.”
adj + noun
09. greyish smoke
“Greyish smoke rose from the old factory chimney.”
adj + noun
10. greyish water
“The river water was greyish after the heavy rain.”
adj + noun
11. a pale greyish sky
“We woke up to a pale greyish sky and cold wind.”
12. look greyish in the light
“The dress looks greyish in the light, but it is blue.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies; also used after linking verbs such as 'look' or 'seem'.
Real-World Examples
“England is donning their alternate kits, a purple-greyish hue tonight, allowing Switzerland to wear their all-white change strip.” “With its flat leaves and bamboo-like stems, it is quite striking, especially when topped with greyish-brown plumes in late summer.” Etymology
From grey + -ish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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