Drab (Adjective):
- dull; cheerless; lacking in spirit, brightness, etc.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/drab
In the article, “The Way We Live Now: 11-11-01; Lost and Found” the author, Colson Whitehead said, “ The city also puts a lot of effort into making your hometown look really drab and tiny, just in case you were wondering why is such as drag to go back home sometimes.
Colson Whitehead uses the word drab in this sentence to support his sarcasm. In this sentence, the author was really trying to say that there are so many things to do in New York, and the city is so big that it makes other places look boring and arid.
