1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
a leaden performance of a classic American play that nearly put us to sleep
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grey
of the color gray
the leaden sky made everything seem dark and depressing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leaden
The subtext becomes text, and the film isn’t quite scary enough to make up for its mostly leaden message.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
But Betancourt’s approach feels leaden with reference and citation, too often leaning on a catalog of cultural properties to advance an argument that is, at its heart, empirical.
—Jake Nevins, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Humor — both black and camp — is the key here, unlike the often-leaden film which relied on special effects rather than a sharp script and knowing comic direction for its wow factor.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
For a movie whose chief anthem is an advertisement for the joys of defying gravity, Wicked is surprisingly leaden, with a promise of more of the same to come.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for leaden
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
But Betancourt’s approach feels leaden with reference and citation, too often leaning on a catalog of cultural properties to advance an argument that is, at its heart, empirical.
—Jake Nevins, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Humor — both black and camp — is the key here, unlike the often-leaden film which relied on special effects rather than a sharp script and knowing comic direction for its wow factor.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
For a movie whose chief anthem is an advertisement for the joys of defying gravity, Wicked is surprisingly leaden, with a promise of more of the same to come.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for leaden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaden
Adjective
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Belief that your institution is exempt from the hard, functional and often boring parts of the job leads to a slow decline.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Organizations that foster a culture of self-compassion can empower their employees to better navigate stress, maintain their well-being, and - perhaps boring but no less important - adhere to safety protocols.—
Ellen Choi,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Though adidas has recently dropped the Tokyo in metallic and neon colorways, this leather-and-suede version featuring a muted grey body is, in our eyes, a more adaptable choice.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
21 May 2025
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The officer saw a grey Cybertruck on fire, with an unbroken Molotov cocktail in an apple cider vinegar bottle lying nearby.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
Here in Croatia, the pace of life is slower, especially in smaller towns.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Despite the retirement of highly successful Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, the transition to Vulcan has been slow and continues to impact the completion of Space Force mission objectives.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Massa is slender and just 5 feet tall in her work boots, with strands of gray lightening her dark hair.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
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Milgrim on Thursday morning sat in his Prairie Village living room, wearing a gray sweatshirt from his daughter’s college alma mater, the University of Kansas, as the doorbell rang and friends, clergy and media came to their door.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Santa Monica residents go to war against Waymo There’s a battle brewing in Santa Monica with a fleet of unmanned, electric Waymo vehicles on one side, and exhausted, weary locals on the other.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
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Reed thin and blonde, with the slouch of a weary royal, Kjær spent Tuesday afternoon directing his troops: five amateur dancers, recruited from clubs, who will perform at an opening on Saturday in a piece modeled on the firework displays at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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One remarkable find stood out from all the rest: a collection of ancient silver treasures.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
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The silver vehicle then hit the 84-year-old woman, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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The bittersweet result didn’t dull a remarkable career and legacy for Kelly.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
31 May 2025
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But the drama can be very stolid, borderline dull at times.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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These guys have been touring for decades, never tiring of playing the hits even while steadily putting out albums full of new material.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
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Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle sustains this tiring play style by deploying a 10-man rotation, allowing his players to stay fresh throughout high-intensity games.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaden. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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