variants
or less commonly grey
1
a
: of the color gray
b
: tending toward gray
blue-gray eyes
c
: dull in color
2
: having gray hair
grew old and gray
3
: clothed in gray
4
b
: prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting
… the … boring, gray dullness of government …—
P. J. O'Rourke
P. J. O'Rourke5
: having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character
an ethically gray area
grayly
adverb
grayness
noun
Usage of Gray and Grey
Gray and grey are both accepted spellings. Gray is more frequent in US English, while grey is preferred in Canada, the UK, and elsewhere.
variants
or less commonly grey
1
: any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
2
: something (such as an animal, garment, cloth, or spot) of a gray color
3
a
: a soldier in the Confederate army during the American Civil War
b
often Gray
: the Confederate army
variants
or less commonly grey
grayed also greyed; graying also greying; grays also greys
1
: to become gray
2
: age
also
: to contain an increasing percentage of older people
The town's population has grayed over the last two decades.
: to make gray
: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material
—abbreviation Gy
Examples of gray in a Sentence
Adjective
What will you do when you are old and gray?
My friends have all gone gray.
It was a gray winter day.
the gray faces of the people in the crowd
Recent Examples on the Web
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
An unspoken expectation to look like counterparts in their 20s and 30s demands a massive investment in expensive med spas, cosmetics to cover gray roots, and professional attire and dry cleaning that cost more today than ever before.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Odeya Pinkus, InStyle, 12 June 2026
The ensemble was cast in shades of blueish gray, save for the white lace-up shoes D’Arcy sported on the red carpet.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
ABC News, 9 June 2026
Burgundy and gray both share a richness and matte softness, so their pairing here is intuitive.
—Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for gray
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Standing before it, Khalaf saw how the wall of the adjacent building had toppled onto the ground floor, flooding the shop with rubble and coating everything with a film of fine gray dust.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
An unspoken expectation to look like counterparts in their 20s and 30s demands a massive investment in expensive med spas, cosmetics to cover gray roots, and professional attire and dry cleaning that cost more today than ever before.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Noun
For those embracing their natural grays, a sleek and polished silver is the way to go.
—Odeya Pinkus, InStyle, 12 June 2026
The ensemble was cast in shades of blueish gray, save for the white lace-up shoes D’Arcy sported on the red carpet.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
Verb
That's in stark contrast to the graying parishioners at most Spanish churches at a moment the Catholic Church strives to engage with and remain relevant to youth.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
Burgundy and gray both share a richness and matte softness, so their pairing here is intuitive.
—Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for gray
Cite this Entry
“Gray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
gray
1 of 2 noun
variants
or chiefly British grey
: any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
gray
adjective
or chiefly British grey
gray
2 of 2 noun
: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material
—abbreviation Gy
Biographical Definition
Gray
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Thomas 1716–1771 English poet
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
