What does "lull" mean?
A period of rest or soothing.
Lull
/lʌl/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A period of rest or soothing.
- Grammar: lull is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: quiet, abate, abeyance, abrupt silence.
- Useful contrasts: gubernatorial race, activity, agitation.
- Usage evidence: There was a lull in the festivities as Fred was carted off to the infirmary by the emergency medical technicians.
How to use "lull"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lull" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lull" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lull" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lull" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lull" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "quiet" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lull", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A period of rest or soothing.
- 2 a period of calm weather wordnet
- 3 A period of reduced activity; a respite.
- 4 a pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished wordnet
- 5 A period without waves or wind.
"[…] during the lull, wind shifted to S. E. […]"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 An extended pause between sets of waves.
"It is advisable to leave the surf zone during the lull between sets of larger waves, waiting outside the surf zone for a lull."
Verb
- 1 To cause to rest by soothing influences; to compose; to calm transitive
"To lull him soft a sleepe"
- 2 become quiet or less intensive wordnet
- 3 To become gradually calm; to subside; to cease or abate. intransitive
"The storm lulled."
- 4 calm by deception wordnet
- 5 make calm or still wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"There was a lull in the festivities as Fred was carted off to the infirmary by the emergency medical technicians."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lull"?
Common synonyms include: quiet, abate, abeyance, abrupt silence, allay, alleviate.
How do you use "lull" in a sentence?
There was a lull in the festivities as Fred was carted off to the infirmary by the emergency medical technicians.
How do you pronounce "lull"?
Pronounced /lʌl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English lullen, lollen. Originally, perhaps expressive in origin from la-la-la or lu-lu-lu sounds made in calming a child. Compare Finnish laulaa (“to sing”) and Hiligaynon lala (“to sing a lullaby”). Cognate with Scots lul, lule, loll (“to lull, put to sleep, howl, caterwaul”), Dutch lollen (“to sing badly, caterwaul”), Dutch lullen (“to chatter, prate, cheat, deceive”), Low German lullen (“to lull”), German lullen (“to lull”), Danish lulle (“to lull, sing to sleep”), Swedish lulla (“to lull”), Icelandic lúlla (“to lull”).
Etymology 2
* As a German surname, from personal names based on Leute (“people, population”). * As a Catalan surname, spelling variant of Llull.