leaden
Americanadjective
-
inertly heavy like lead; hard to lift or move.
a leaden weight; leaden feet.
-
dull, spiritless, or gloomy, as in mood or thought.
leaden prose; a leaden atmosphere.
-
of a dull gray color.
leaden skies.
-
oppressive; heavy.
a leaden silence.
-
sluggish; listless.
They moved at a leaden pace.
-
of poor quality or little value.
-
made or consisting of lead.
verb (used with object)
adjective
-
heavy and inert
-
laboured or sluggish
leaden steps
-
gloomy, spiritless, or lifeless
-
made partly or wholly of lead
-
of a dull greyish colour
a leaden sky
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of leaden
before 1000; Middle English leden, Old English lēaden. See lead 2, -en 2
Explanation
Something leaden moves in a heavy, slow way. After a sleepless night, your leaden feet will walk more sluggishly than usual to the bus stop. Dull, heavy things can be described as leaden, like a dense, boring novel full of leaden dialog or your fatigued, leaden legs at the end of a full day's hike up a mountain. If something is the color of lead — a dull gray — that's also leaden, like the leaden, stormy sky. Finally, things made of lead are quite literally leaden, the word's original meaning, from a Germanic root meaning "heavy metal."
Vocabulary lists containing leaden
Othello
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Diary of a Young Girl
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Spy School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On a pitch that had been under cover for the previous two days, under leaden skies and with showers forecast, England would have been desperate to win the toss.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Perhaps an exhibition could explore Jewish artists wrestling with their traditions, but here these objects land like leaden agitprop.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
Bruce Springsteen, “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” From the Boss’ “Tracks II” trove of lost albums, a more vivid depiction of Bummed-Out Bruce than director Scott Cooper’s leaden “Deliver Me From Nowhere.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025
I’d follow a recipe to the letter and still end up squinting at the oven door, trying to gauge whether I’d accidentally created something leaden or gummy or wrong.
From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2025
Olive removed her leaden shoes and performed a gravity-defying gymnastics routine on a set of parallel bars.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
