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drab

drab

3 5.3
Having a light brownish green color often used for cloth and uniforms
  • adjective
  • /dræb/
translation icon : verde oliva
  • The walls of the old house were painted a drab color that made the rooms feel gloomy and uninviting.
  • drab olive
  • drab green

Examples

  • We see no color, no signboards over stores, but a world full of thick people in drab, square clothing.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The soldier's uniform was a dull, drab green, blending in perfectly with the surrounding landscape.

  • Do you realize that all military underwear is olive drab?

  • This was worn over a drab shirt and khaki tie.

  • The buffalo grass was a drab brown, and winter's breath swirled across the plain.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • I found the city drab, gloomy, worn, and stained.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Navy and air force uniforms were considered more glamorous than the army's drab olive green.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The bed had plain sheets and rumpled Army olive-drab blankets.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Arching up and over the mountain pass, a convoy of drab green trucks and tanklike personnel carriers appeared.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • She decided to wear a drab brown dress to the event, opting for a simple and understated look.

Synonyms

dull
vsdrab
31 1.0

Not bright or shiny with weak colour

specifies a particular light brownish green hue, not general lack of brightness
lackluster
vsdrab
  • US
30 6.1

Dull and showing little energy

applies to a specific muted brownish green color rather than poor energy
colorless
vsdrab
  • US
4 3.9

Not interesting or exciting

refers to an actual muted brownish green tone, not a figurative emptiness
somber
vsdrab
  • US
4 4.2

Dark and dull in color, not bright

refers to light brownish green shades, not mainly darkness or mood
mousy
vsdrab
1 4.8

A dull pale brown color like light brown hair

is similar but focuses on brownish green rather than grey tones
olive-drab
vsdrab
1 6.3

A light brownish-green color that you see on military uniforms

is the general term for light brownish green tones without military link
loden
vsdrab
7.8

A dark grey-green color often used for clothing

means lighter brownish green tones rather than darker greyish green
washy
vsdrab
8.0

Faded or pale in color, not bright

indicates solid light brownish green tones rather than faded thin colors
dullish
vsdrab
3.7

Not bright in color and not very interesting

is a precise light brownish green hue rather than a general flat look

Antonyms

110 2.1

Full of interesting stories and lively events

29 3.6

Full of bright, strong colors that attract attention

Compounds

1 5.1

A dull green-brown color often used for military clothes and gear

1 6.3

A light brownish-green color that you see on military uniforms

A United States Army uniform made of dull green cloth

How Dull

dull
31 1.0
dingy
23 4.6
drab
3 5.3
pale
291 1.0
muted
10 4.2

Surface Forms

drab positive
drabber comparative
drabbest superlative

Etymology

Drab as a colour comes from the same old cloth drap, which had a plain brown-green look used for simple uniforms. So drab describes a light brownish-green shade that helps things blend into nature or the army.