bokeh

noun

bo·​keh ˈbō-kā How to pronounce bokeh (audio)
-kə
: the blurred quality or effect seen in the out-of-focus portion of a photograph taken with a narrow depth of field
Good bokeh is smooth and pleasing, whereas bad bokeh produces a jagged and discordant effect. … The quality of bokeh is largely dependent on the construction of the lens. For this reason, lenses that provide high-quality bokeh are prized.Harold Davis

Examples of bokeh in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Beyond color and exposure adjustments, the AI Assistant will sometimes enable an artificial bokeh effect too, blurring the background as in portrait mode. Dominic Preston, The Verge, 23 June 2026 Both the Xiaomi 17T and 17T Pro offer good edge detection, a very likeable bokeh and pleasing colors in Portrait mode – sometimes even on moving subjects. Prakhar Khanna, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Some creators prefer a lens that shows more characterful backgrounds as the effect can give images a vintage look, while others will crave the clean, smooth bokeh that's more common in modern lenses. Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bokeh

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese boke "blur, haziness"

First Known Use

1997, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bokeh was in 1997

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bokeh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bokeh. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster