lull
Americanverb (used with object)
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to put to sleep or rest by soothing means.
to lull a child by singing.
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to soothe or quiet.
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to give or lead to feel a false sense of safety; cause to be less alert, aware, or watchful.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a temporary calm, quiet, or stillness.
a lull in a storm.
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a soothing sound.
the lull of falling waters.
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a pacified or stupefied condition.
The drug had put him in a lull.
verb
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to soothe (a person or animal) by soft sounds or motions (esp in the phrase lull to sleep )
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to calm (someone or someone's fears, suspicions, etc), esp by deception
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lull
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English lullen, of expressive origin; compare Swedish lulla, German lullen, Latin lallāre “to sing a lullaby”
Explanation
See lull, think "calm." It could be the noun form (like "the lull before the storm") or the verb: one can lull someone by calming them (as in lulling a baby to sleep with a lullaby). The noun lull is often used in relation to a storm, but the term has a broader meaning as well. Lull can be used to describe any temporary period of calm or diminished activity, like the quiet time before the lunch rush in a restaurant or the brief period of tranquility before the doors open for a pre-Christmas sale. The word's verb form means "to soothe or to make someone feel relaxed." When used as a verb lull can turn deceptive, and it is often used to convey a false sense of security.
Vocabulary lists containing lull
List 2
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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The Cay
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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.
“Never Be the Same” includes many moments like this that lull the listener into losing track of place and time with songs grounded in emotion and meaning.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
But following a yearslong lull in the craze, protein surged in popularity amid the pandemic’s peak.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
The companies are pushing to research, develop and market herbicides after a decadeslong lull in launching new weedkillers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
The government has credited wintry weather with a recent lull in the disease.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
After a lull in white arrests, some towns increased the rewards for turning in collaborators.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
