bleaker; bleakest
1
: exposed and barren and often windswept
a bleak landscape
bleak soils
2
: cold, raw
a bleak November evening
3
a
: lacking in warmth, life, or kindliness : grim
a bleak prison documentary
b
: not hopeful or encouraging : depressing
a bleak prognosis
a bleak outlook
the future looks bleak
c
: severely simple or austere
a bleak hotel room
bleakly adverb
bleakness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for bleak

dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort.

dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

Examples of bleak in a Sentence

a bleak outlook for the team for the rest of the season it was a dark and bleak wintry day
Recent Examples on the Web Company Town The fight to save Faux Library, Hollywood’s top destination for fake books Jan. 4, 2024 The prop house’s comeback offers a sliver of hope during an otherwise bleak moment for the hundreds of thousands of vendors, crew members, craftspeople and artists striving to make a living. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 In the previous October 2023 survey, no less than 48% of CEOs believed conditions would deteriorate over the coming year, the bleakest turnout in 12 months. Robert Stevens, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bleak 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bleak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bleke pale; probably akin to Old English blāc

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bleak was in 1574

Dictionary Entries Near bleak

Cite this Entry

“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bleak. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bleak

adjective
1
: open to wind or weather
a bleak coast
2
: cold entry 1 sense 1, raw
a bleak November evening
3
: dreary, cheerless
the future looks bleak
4
: very plain
bleakly adverb
bleakness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bleak

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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