boring and dull share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. boring means “the act of drilling”. dull means “lacking in liveliness or animation”. boring is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɔɹɪŋ/
1.n.the act of drilling
2.n.the act of drilling a hole in the earth in the hope of producing petroleum
3.adj.so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
“a boring evening with uninteresting people”
/ˈdʌl/
1.adj.lacking in liveliness or animation
“he was so dull at parties”
2.adj.emitting or reflecting very little light
“a dull glow”
3.adj.being or made softer or less loud or clear
“the dull boom of distant breaking waves”
| boring | dull | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɔɹɪŋ/ | /ˈdʌl/ |
| Said | BAW-ring | duhl |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | noun, adjective | adjective, verb |
| Senses | 3 | 19 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | drilling | none recorded |
Full entry for boring · Full entry for dull · More comparisons