gray
adjective
/ɡreɪ/
Word Forms
| adjective | gray |
| comparative | grayer |
| superlative | grayest |
© Macmillan Education Limited
© Terry Vine/Blend Images
© Isidora Bojovic/EyeEm
- 1between black and white in color. If something is similar to this color, you can say that it is a grayish color
He wore a dark gray suit.
The water was a grayish-green.
Synonyms and related wordsWords used to describe specific colorsalabasteramberamethyst - 2if someone goes or turns gray, their hair starts to become white
She seems to have gone gray very quickly.
Synonyms and related wordsHair colora platinum blondeauburnblond - 3if someone’s face is gray, they look pale because they are sick or shockedgray with:
His face was gray with pain.
Synonyms and related wordsLooking unhealthy or illwan(as) white as a sheetgreenSynonyms and related wordsWords used to describe skin colora high coloralbino(as) white as a sheet - 4used for describing the weather or the light when it is not very bright because there is a lot of cloud
a gray day in February
The rain stopped and the gray skies began to clear.
Synonyms and related wordsMoisture in the air, clouds and cloudy weatherbankbillowcirrocumulus - 5boring
the drab gray tedium of his life
Synonyms and related wordsNot interesting or excitingboringdulltedious - 6not clearly one thing or another or clearly right or wrong, and therefore not easy to deal with
a gray area in environmental regulations
Synonyms and related wordsDifficult or impossible to deal withdifficultimpossibletrying - 7only before nounused for describing issues that relate to or affect old people
the gray vote
Synonyms and related wordsOld (of people)oldelderlysenior
View the pronunciation for gray.
gray
noun
/ɡreɪ/
Word Forms
| singular | gray |
| plural | grays |
© Macmillan Education Limited
© E+/101cats/Getty Images
- 1countable/uncountable a color that is between black and whiteSynonyms and related wordsColorsapricotaquaaquamarine
- 2countable an animal that is gray in color, especially a horse or catSynonyms and related wordsGeneral animal typesadultamphibiananimal
View the pronunciation for gray.
gray
/ɡreɪ/
the American spelling of grey
Synonyms and related words
Colours
apricot
aqua
aquamarine
Synonyms and related words
Words used to describe specific colours
alabaster
amber
amethyst
View the pronunciation for gray.
gray
verb intransitive
/ɡreɪ/
Word Forms
| present tense | |
| I/you/we/they | gray |
| he/she/it | grays |
| present participle | graying |
| past tense | grayed |
| past participle | grayed |
© Terry Vine/Blend Images
- 1to become gray in color
a graying sky
Synonyms and related wordsTo become a different colorblackenbleachbleed - 2if a person or their hair is graying, their hair is becoming whiteSynonyms and related wordsWhat hair can doflowgraygrow out
phrasal verbs
gray out
- anorak
- anorexia
- anorexic
- anosmia
- anosmic
- a. n. other
- another
- another bite at the cherry
- another time
- another two/ten/hundred etc
- another two/ten/hundred etc.
- another woman
- an outside chance
- anoxia
- anoxic
- anserine
- answer
- answerable
- answer back
- answer for
- answering machine
- answering service
- answerphone
- answer the description of
- answer to