bleak

adjective

ˈblēk How to pronounce bleak (audio)
Definition of bleaknext
1
as in depressing
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer a bleak outlook for the team for the rest of the season

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions it was a dark and bleak wintry day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chilly
uncomfortably cool a bleak December morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bleak contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bleak are cheerless, desolate, dismal, dreary, and gloomy. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When is cheerless a more appropriate choice than bleak?

The words cheerless and bleak can be used in similar contexts, but cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

In what contexts can desolate take the place of bleak?

The meanings of desolate and bleak largely overlap; however, desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

When might dismal be a better fit than bleak?

The synonyms dismal and bleak are sometimes interchangeable, but dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

Where would dreary be a reasonable alternative to bleak?

While the synonyms dreary and bleak are close in meaning, dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

When would gloomy be a good substitute for bleak?

The words gloomy and bleak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bleak The perspectives ranged from bleak to bleaker. —Binyamin Appelbaum, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026 As bleak as these developments are, a few hopeful signs for the midterms have emerged. —David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026 The same brush painted the bleak picture for both schools. —David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026 The results were bleak, with all three models obtaining low accuracy scores. —IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bleak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleak
  1. depressing
  2. turbulent
  3. chilly
  4. dark
  5. rainy
  6. chilling
  7. somber
  8. snowy
Adjective
  • Firstly, the jail is depressing and the people who work there are not always nice, particularly to reporters.
    — Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Despite this, black-market Stingers have had a depressing tendency to surface in conflicts around the world.
    — David Szondy February 08, New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Hadder’s own journey from that Tuscaloosa parking lot was turbulent.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The Giants are navigating a turbulent time, starting with co-owner Steve Tisch’s prominent appearance in the Epstein Files.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • For early spring when the weather still gets chilly, use a set of thicker sheet sets to add the perfect amount of warmth, then pair it with a set of cooling sheets once hotter temperatures arrive later in the season.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Otherwise, Thursday looks blustery and chilly with a mostly cloudy sky.
    — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of chilly
Adjective
  • The activist also went full glam on her flight, looking radiant in bronzy makeup, complete with dark eyeliner, fluttery eyelashes, fluffy eyebrows, luminous skin, and glossy lips.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
  • More dark, romantic beauty inspiration.
    — Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Another round of rainy weather is coming to Southern California this week.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
  • But in the rainy winter and spring months, the park becomes a showcase for a diverse, colorful array of blossoms.
    — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of rainy
Adjective
  • But even without an arrest, First Amendment advocates say the law has a chilling effect.
    — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
  • As part of the package, the White House is seeking to codify a dangerous government price control precedent into law that will have a chilling effect on medical innovation and patient choice.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of chilling
Adjective
  • Guthrie's three children also shared a somber and tearful plea that evening, asking for their mother to be returned home after her disappearance, now in its fifth day.
    — Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The western Maryland battleground still carries a somber, haunting energy, a reminder of the war’s steep cost.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • But artificial snow, no matter how sustainably it's produced, can’t solve the problems many snowy locales are facing as temperatures rise.
    — Simmone Shah, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Images of a 5-year-old boy being used as bait to detain his parents on a snowy Minnesota day have caused international outrage.
    — Thomas Kennedy, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of snowy

Browse Nearby Words

bleaching
bleak
bleakly
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Cite this Entry

“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleak. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bleak

Nglish: Translation of bleak for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bleak

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