Which word means 'Dull'?

• A. Banal
• B. Dull
• C. Tedious
• D. Mundane

Answer: (A)

Dullness here comes from a lack of originality. Banal captures that precisely: something that’s banal is unoriginal, clichéd, and predictable, which makes it feel dull or boring because it doesn’t offer anything fresh or interesting. The word comes from a root meaning common or ordinary, reinforcing that sense of tired repetitiveness.

While dull would fit literally, and mundane means ordinary, they don’t emphasize the boredom that comes from being unsurprising or trite as well as banal does. Tedious points to weariness from length or effort, rather than lack of originality; banal, with its subtle implication of clichés, nails the dullness caused by sameness.