1
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
disoriented, bleary passengers departing from the red-eye
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
the bleary outline of a fishing boat could just be seen through the fog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bleary
The action begins during Paris Fashion Week, where a supermodel played by Bella Hadid staggers down the catwalk sweaty and bleary eyed, itching to escape the confines of her red leather Balenciaga ensemble.
—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
5 Jan. 2026
He was surrounded by his boys from Alabama, trading cracks with a bleary grin.
—
Nick Stern,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
These are essentially gothic works, in which bleary, nocturnal isolation opens a door to bizarre impulses and uncanny transformations.
—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
8 Oct. 2025
If earlier iterations of the lesbian vampire film were Gothic and ornate, Nadja is more shoegaze, captured on bleary black-and-white videotape with an expressionistic flair.
—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bleary
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
5 Jan. 2026
He was surrounded by his boys from Alabama, trading cracks with a bleary grin.
—
Nick Stern,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
These are essentially gothic works, in which bleary, nocturnal isolation opens a door to bizarre impulses and uncanny transformations.
—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
8 Oct. 2025
If earlier iterations of the lesbian vampire film were Gothic and ornate, Nadja is more shoegaze, captured on bleary black-and-white videotape with an expressionistic flair.
—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bleary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleary
Adjective
-
Depredation occurs when a shark steals an angler’s catch off their line, and Florida’s fishers are tired of it.
-
Pugh is tired of seeing her mom suffer by no fault of her own.
Adjective
-
There’s no reason to think, for example, that decisions made by political appointees based on vague standards would be any more transparent than those made by peer reviewers based on scientific merit.
-
American Mission’s partnership with the company, as well as the ads’ vague message about Donalds, exemplify the opaque nature of the AI industry’s spending in the 2026 election cycle.
Adjective
-
But Eustaquio moved — likely exhausted — in union with his team towards South Africa’s box.
-
Back-to-back overnights left Greenwald exhausted and depressed.
Adjective
-
Croatia looked to have tied the game in the final moments, but the faintest of touches by a Croatian player made Croatia offside.
-
Look almost directly above Mars for a much fainter, star-like point of light.
Adjective
-
And ever since, ships full of travelers, weary from long journeys, have passed through the narrows, the winds of the Atlantic at their backs.
-
As America turns 250, the semiquincentennial feels like a dud — a far cry from 1976’s bicentennial blowout, when pop culture and communal celebrations united a weary nation.
Adjective
-
Nearly everyone knows the Boston Tea Party; many can summon at least a hazy memory of the Stamp Act or the Townshend duties.
-
That could result in a slightly muted sky and a softer, hazier sun angle through the afternoon, though surface visibility impacts should remain limited.
Cite this Entry
“Bleary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleary. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
