Word forms: comparative greyer, superlative greyestregional note: in AM, use gray
1. colour
Grey is the colour of ashes or of clouds on a rainy day.
...a grey suit.
2. adjective
You use grey to describe the colour of people's hair when it changes from its original colour, usually asthey get old.
...my grey hair.
Eddie was going grey.
3. adjective
If the weather is grey, there are many clouds in the sky and the light is dull.
It was a grey, wet April Sunday.
Synonyms: dull, dark, dim, gloomy More Synonyms of grey
greynessuncountable noun
...winter's greyness.
4. adjective
If you describe a situation as grey, you mean that it is dull, unpleasant, or difficult.
Brazilians look gloomily forward to a New Year that even the president admits willbe grey and cheerless.
Synonyms: bleak, depressing, grim, discouraging More Synonyms of grey
greynessuncountable noun
In this new world of greyness there is an attempt to remove all risks.
5. adjective
If you describe someone or something as grey, you think that they are boring and unattractive, and very similar to other things or other people.
[disapproval]
...little grey men in suits.
Synonyms: boring, dull, anonymous, faceless More Synonyms of grey
greynessuncountable noun
Journalists are frustrated by his apparent greyness.
6. adjective
Journalists sometimes use grey to describe things concerning old people.
There was further evidence of grey consumer power last week, when Ford revealed acar designed with elderly people in mind.
More Synonyms of grey
grey in British English
or US gray (ɡreɪ)
adjective
1.
of a neutral tone, intermediate between black and white, that has no hue and reflects and transmits only a little light
2.
greyish in colour or having parts or marks that are greyish
3.
dismal or dark, esp from lack of light; gloomy
4.
neutral or dull, esp in character or opinion
5.
having grey hair
6.
of or relating to people of middle age or above
grey power
7.
ancient; venerable
8.
(of textiles) natural, unbleached, undyed, and untreated
noun
9.
any of a group of grey tones
10.
grey cloth or clothing
dressed in grey
11.
an animal, esp a horse, that is grey or whitish
verb
12.
to become or make grey
Derived forms
greyish (ˈgreyish) or US grayish (ˈgrayish)
adjective
greyly (ˈgreyly) or US grayly (ˈgrayly)
adverb
greyness (ˈgreyness) or US grayness (ˈgrayness)
noun
Word origin
Old English grǣg; related to Old High German grāo, Old Norse grar
Grey in British English
(ɡreɪ)
noun
1.
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. 1764–1845, British statesman. As Whig prime minister (1830–34), he carried the Reform Bill of 1832 and the bill for the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire (1833)
2.
Sir Edward, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon. 1862–1933, British statesman; foreign secretary (1905–16)
3.
Sir George. 1812–98, British statesman and colonial administrator; prime minister of New Zealand (1877–79)
4.
Lady Jane. 1537–54, queen of England (July 9–19, 1553); great-granddaughter of Henry VII. Her father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland, persuaded Edward VI to alter the succession in her favour, but after ten days as queen she was imprisoned and later executed
5.
Zane. 1875–1939, US author of Westerns, including Riders of the Purple Sage (1912)
Grey in American English
(greɪ)
1.
Charles2d Earl Grey 1764-1845; Eng. statesman; prime minister (1830-34)
2.
Lady JaneLady Jane Dudley 1537-54; queen of England (July 10-19, 1553): beheaded
The law needs to be changed as there are grey areas.
The Sun (2016)
All the extras have grey hair and a thick crust of spores and fungal matter on their face.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Everything is a little bit grey.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I rode a beautiful grey horse around the set.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Puddings are a small pleasure in a sea of grey days, one of those things that make it bearable.
The Sun (2016)
The result is a thought provoking, super interesting read, guaranteed to get the grey matter working.
The Sun (2016)
Winter blues At this time of year I yearn for something to light up the grey.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
PS The festivities may be drawing to a close but there is still time to banish hangovers and get those grey cells working in my seasonal quiz.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
There is also a link between the condition and men with grey hair and dark eyebrows.
The Sun (2015)
One day they sold him an old grey horse starved of life.
Max Arthur Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 19011910 in the words of the Men & Women Who WereThere (2006)
This will avoid turning them a lighter grey.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We will paint a nice dull grey to keep our neighbors happy!
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Watched a compact man in a grey suit get out and walk north.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We all got into the grey car.
various & introduction by Deirdre Chapman A Roomful of Birds - Scottish short stories 1990 (1990)
One of them was a grey colour in the face.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This left a grey area in which common sense might be applied.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The sky turned grey and the conversation turned into a job interview.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
And the only one without grey hair.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Dark grey is the most frequent choice.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Their clothes had become grey with washing.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
These cheerful mini shoppers caught our eye on a miserable grey day on the high street.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Trying to guess the villain makes our grey matter forge new neural connections.
The Sun (2010)
The hair then looks grey because of the way that it absorbs light.
The Sun (2012)
The furniture and lighting are in greys and chrome.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The weather changed quite dramatically last week when a sunny day turned dull and grey.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Now he laps the dark grey cars.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It was a very dull and grey colour behind the gold.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We love thee for adding a little grey eye shadow to make things look more swish and modern.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was a grey and rainy day in Sheffield.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Well, the combination of grey suit and peroxide hair has decided it for me.
The Sun (2009)
Then that golden coach, pulled by eight grey horses.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Word lists with
grey
black, Horse colours
In other languages
grey
British English: grey /ɡreɪ/ ADJECTIVE
Something that is grey is the colour of ashes or of clouds on a rainy day.
...a grey suit.
American English: gray
Arabic: رَمَاديّ
Brazilian Portuguese: cinzento
Chinese: 灰色的
Croatian: siv
Czech: šedý
Danish: grå
Dutch: grijs
European Spanish: gris
Finnish: harmaa
French: gris
German: grau
Greek: γκρίζος
Italian: grigio
Japanese: 灰色の
Korean: 회색의
Norwegian: grå
Polish: szary
European Portuguese: cinzento
Romanian: gri
Russian: серый
Latin American Spanish: gris
Swedish: grå
Thai: สีเทา
Turkish: gri
Ukrainian: сірий
Vietnamese: xám
All related terms of 'grey'
dove grey
a brownish-grey colour
Earl Grey
a variety of China tea flavoured with oil of bergamot
grey area
If you refer to something as a grey area , you mean that it is unclear , for example because nobody is sure how to deal with it or who is responsible for it, or it falls between two separate categories of things.
grey body
a body that emits radiation in constant proportion to the corresponding black-body radiation
grey duck
a New Zealand duck , Anas superciliosa , with grey-edged brown feathers
grey fox
a greyish American fox , Urocyon cinereoargenteus, inhabiting arid and woody regions from S North America to N South America
grey gum
any of various eucalyptus trees of New South Wales having dull grey bark , esp Eucalyptus punctata
Grey Owl
Grey Owl , original name Archibald Belaney (1888–1938). Canadian writer and conservationist , born in England; adopted Native American identity
grey seal
a greyish species of earless seal , Halichoerus grypus
grey vote
the body of elderly people's votes , or elderly people regarded collectively as voters
grey-wave
denoting a company or an investment that is potentially profitable but is unlikely to fulfil expectations before the investor has grey hair
grey wolf
a variety of the wolf , Canis lupus , having a grey brindled coat and occurring in forested northern regions, esp of North America
iron grey
a neutral or dark grey colour
dapple-grey
a horse with a grey coat having spots of darker colour
grey alder
a variety of alder ( Alnus incana ) with grey bark , common in temperate areas of the northern hemisphere
grey cloud
A cloud is a mass of water vapour that floats in the sky. Clouds are usually white or grey in colour.
Grey Friar
a Franciscan friar
grey-haired
having grey hair
grey heron
a large European heron , Ardea cinerea , with grey wings and back and a long black drooping crest
grey import
an imported vehicle that does not have an exact model equivalent in the receiving country
grey knight
an ambiguous intervener in a takeover battle , who makes a counterbid for the shares of the target company without having made his or her intentions clear
grey market
Grey market goods are bought unofficially and then sold to customers at lower prices than usual .
grey matter
You can refer to your intelligence or your brains as grey matter .
grey mullet
any teleost food fish of the family Mugilidae, mostly occurring in coastal regions, having a spindle-shaped body and a broad fleshy mouth
grey nomad
any elderly retired person who spends time travelling around the country in a mobile home
grey plover
a greyish species of plover , Pluvialis squatarola
grey power
the political, financial , or social influence of elderly people
grey sedge
an angler's name for a greyish caddis fly, Odontocerum albicorne, that frequents running water, in which its larvae make cases from grains of sand
grey skate
a species of skate , Dipturus batis
grey-state
(of a fabric or material ) not yet dyed
grey water
household waste water that can be reused for some purposes without purification, e. g . bath water, which can be used to water plants
grey whale
a large N Pacific whalebone whale , Eschrichtius glaucus, that is grey or black with white spots and patches : family Eschrichtidae
grey willow
a species of willow, Salix cinerea , with greenish-grey catkins
pearl grey
a light bluish-grey colour
silver-grey
light grey that resembles silver
slate-grey
of a dark grey colour
steel grey
a dark grey colour, usually slightly purple
steely grey
→ another name for steel grey
charcoal grey
a very dark grey colour
grey eminence
a person who wields power and influence unofficially or behind the scenes
grey gurnard
a species of scorpionfish, Eutriglia gurnardus
grey panther
a member of the generation of affluent older consumers , who regard themselves as young, active , and sociable
grey squirrel
a grey-furred squirrel , Sciurus carolinensis, native to E North America but now widely established elsewhere
Grey-Thompson
Tanni ( Carys Davina ) Baroness . born 1969, Welsh wheelchair athlete ; won eleven gold medals for Britain in wheelchair racing in the Paralympic Games (1988–2004); a crossbench peer in the House of Lords since 2010
grey wagtail
a greyish species of wagtail , Motacilla cinerea , found in temperate regions
grey warbler
a small bush bird that hatches the eggs of the shining cuckoo
a grey area
a situation or subject that is nor clear or understood and that nobody really knows how to deal with
grey propaganda
propaganda that does not identify its source
great grey shrike
the bird Lanius excubitor
grey-faced petrel
a dark-coloured New Zealand petrel , Pterodroma macroptera gouldi
Chinese translation of 'grey'
grey
or (US) gray
(ɡreɪ)
adj
(= colour) 灰色的 (huīsè de)
[hair]灰白的 (huībái de)
(= dull)[weather, day]阴(陰)沉的 (yīnchén de)
(fig, = faceless) 了无(無)生趣的 (liǎowú shēngqù de)
n(c/u)
(= colour) 灰色 (huīsè) (种(種), zhǒng)
to go grey[person, hair]变(變)灰白 (biàn huībái)
All related terms of 'grey'
grey vote
老年选(選)民 lǎonián xuǎnmín
grey-haired
灰白头(頭)发(髮)的 huībái tóufa de
silver-grey
银(銀)灰色 yínhuīsè
to go grey
( person, hair ) 变(變)灰白 biàn huībái
to turn grey
( person, hair ) 变(變)灰白 biàn huībái
the man with the grey hat/blue eyes
戴着(著)灰帽子/有蓝(藍)眼睛的男人 dàizhe huī màozi/yǒu lán yǎnjing de nánrén
1 (adjective)
Definition
dismal, dark, or gloomy
It was a grey, wet April Sunday.
Synonyms
dull
It's always dull and raining.
dark
It was a dark and stormy night.
dim
a dim February day
gloomy
Inside it's gloomy after all that sunshine.
cloudy
It was a cloudy, windy day.
murky
Their plane crashed in murky weather.
drab
his drab little office
misty
The air was cold and misty.
foggy
Conditions were damp and foggy this morning.
overcast
It was a cold, wintry, overcast afternoon.
sunless
The day dawned sunless and with a low cloud base.
2 (adjective)
Definition
dismal, dark, or gloomy
The New Year promises to be grey and cheerless.
Synonyms
bleak
The immediate outlook remains bleak.
depressing
the depressing thought of his mother's death
grim
the tower blocks on the city's grim edges
discouraging
We have had a discouraging response to our appeal.
gloomy
Officials say the outlook for next year is gloomy.
hopeless
dismal
You can't occupy yourself with dismal thoughts all the time.
dreary
a dreary little town in the Midwest
sombre
The pair were in sombre mood.
unpromising
His business career had distinctly unpromising beginnings.
disheartening
joyless
His work load had become so enormous that life seemed joyless.
cheerless
The kitchen was a dank and cheerless room.
comfortless
3 (adjective)
Definition
dull or boring
little grey men in suits
Synonyms
boring
boring television programmes
dull
They can both be rather dull.
anonymous
It's nice to stay in a home rather than an anonymous holiday flat.
faceless
decisions made by faceless bureaucrats
colourless
He is a drab, colourless little man.
nondescript
Ted was rather nondescript in both his appearance and intellect.
characterless
4 (adjective)
Definition
(of a person) having grey hair
a grey old man
Synonyms
old
I was considered too old for the job.
aged
She has an aged parent who needs some care.
ancient
They believed ancient Greece and Rome were vital sources of learning.
mature
elderly
There was an elderly couple on the terrace.
venerable
hoary
the hoary old myth that women are unpredictable
5 (adjective)
His face was grey with pain.
Synonyms
pale
She looked pale and tired.
wan
He looked wan and tired.
livid
bloodless
Her face was grey and bloodless.
colourless
Her face was colourless, and she was shaking.
pallid
His thin, pallid face broke into a smile.
ashen
He fell back, shocked, his face ashen.
like death warmed up (informal)
6 (adjective)
The whole question of accountability is something of a grey area.
Synonyms
ambiguous
His remarks clarify an ambiguous statement given earlier this week.
uncertain
Students all over the country are facing an uncertain future.
neutral
unclear
It is unclear how much popular support they have.
debatable
It is debatable whether or not they were ever properly compensated.
see also subject word lists:
See Shades from black to white
figurative note
Grey is a neutral tone which is intermediate between black and white. Because it only reflects a little light, it is perceived as a dull colour. By extension, it has been used to describe many things which are dull in colour, such as weather conditions, as in a grey day. If human personalities are described as grey, it means they are boring or colourless. The hair of humans and some animals turns grey with age - this has lead to applications of grey meaning older, such as the grey vote. Grey can also mean pale in an unhealthy way when used of a person's skin-tone. As grey is neither entirely black nor white but a combination of both, it has developed the meaning `ambiguous', as in the phrase grey area. Colloquially, the brain is referred to as grey matter or as grey cells because of the greyish colour of the physical brain.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of aged
Definition
advanced in years
She has an aged parent who needs some care.
Synonyms
old,
getting on,
grey,
ancient,
antique,
elderly,
past it (informal),
age-old,
antiquated,
hoary,
superannuated,
senescent,
cobwebby
in the sense of ancient
Definition
dating from very long ago
They believed ancient Greece and Rome were vital sources of learning.
Synonyms
classical,
old,
former,
past,
early,
bygone,
primordial,
primeval,
olden
in the sense of anonymous
Definition
lacking distinguishing characteristics
It's nice to stay in a home rather than an anonymous holiday flat.