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lusterless

lusterless

1 7.2
Not shiny and showing little energy or life
  • adjective
  • /ˈlʌstərləs/
  • US
translation icon : sin brillo
  • The houses on Zita Street were all a lusterless, peeling white.
  • lusterless eyes
  • lusterless hair

Examples

  • She was too pale; her eyes were lusterless.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • His lusterless performance in the play disappointed the audience, who expected much more energy.

  • "Mighty fancy suit of clothes," said the old man, in his lusterless overalls.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • In Bonita's lusterless eyes, she sees her own bitter end.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • His face was fairly red with freckles, and his hair was red-gold, though lusterless, like his spirits.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Elaine could hardly recall her husband's full personality; he seemed lusterless and incomplete.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • She stood in the doorway looking at them with dull, lusterless eyes.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • He had long, dirty-blond hair, flat and stringy and lusterless.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Its plumage was lusterless, worn, ratty, but with remnants of beauty intact.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • They were dressed in overalls or thin gray dresses and holding buckets, dirty and lusterless as their eyes.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

dull
vslusterless
31 1.0

Not bright or shiny with weak colour

adds lack of energy or liveliness to that physical non-brightness
bland
vslusterless
31 2.8

A thing that has no strong character and few interesting features

adds sense of surface non-shine and low energy to boringness
lackluster
vslusterless
  • US
30 6.1

Dull and showing little energy

emphasizes plain non-shine while stressing reduced liveliness
drab
vslusterless
23 4.2

Not bright or colorful and not lively

signals absence of shine together with low energy or liveliness
colorless
vslusterless
  • US
4 3.9

Not interesting or exciting

focuses more on visual non-shine combined with low liveliness
matte
vslusterless
2 3.5

Not shiny and showing little reflection

is a broader term meaning non-shiny and lacking energy or spark
leaden
vslusterless
1 7.0

Dull and not lively, giving a sad feeling

is less about weight and more about plain non-shine and low energy
pallid
vslusterless
1 7.0

A weak light that is not bright

is broader, covering surface non-shine and low liveliness beyond light
dulled
vslusterless
4.3

Made less strong or clear

refers to being non-shiny and low in energy rather than reduced
dullish
vslusterless
3.7

Not bright in color and not very interesting

is a stronger state of no shine combined with low liveliness
fireless
vslusterless
5.1

Showing little energy and no enthusiasm

includes physical non-shine as well as missing liveliness
untwinkling
vslusterless
8.6

Not shining or sparkling and looking dull

refers to overall non-shine and low energy beyond just no flicker
unshiny
vslusterless
5.3

Having a dull surface that does not reflect light

extends that surface lack to include low energy or liveliness
unburnished
vslusterless
9.1

Not made shiny by rubbing or polishing

covers plain non-reflective surface and also reduced liveliness
mat
vslusterless
4.1

Not shiny and having a dull surface

adds sense of low liveliness and plainness beyond the finish
matty
vslusterless
7.4

Having a flat, not shiny surface, like some paints or phone cases

is about surface texture while also implying low energy or life
unglossy
vslusterless
5.5

Plain and not made to look stylish or perfect

is concerned with lack of shine plus low liveliness rather than style
washy
vslusterless
8.0

Faded or pale in color, not bright

is about lack of overall shine and energy, not only faded color
glamourless
vslusterless
5.5

Looks plain and not attractive or exciting

is about lacking shine and liveliness rather than only glamour

Antonyms

459 1.0

Full of strong light that makes a place easy to see

302 1.0

Bright and smooth because it reflects light

How Bright

radiant
64 4.1
lustrous
9 5.3
shiny
302 1.0
glossy
34 2.6
lusterless
  • US
1 7.2

Surface Forms

lusterless positive

Morphology

lusterless = luster (transparent) = luster + less

The adjective is a straightforward negative formation from 'luster' + '-less', meaning 'without shine', which is easily deduced by learners.

Etymology

Lusterless comes from luster ('shine') plus the ending -less ('without'), so it literally means 'without shine'. Think of a coin or painting that has lost its light or a tired person with no energy, and that is why lusterless can mean both dull in look and lacking liveliness.