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

Relevance

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 But that’s a glimmer of progress in an overall bleak data set. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 Thenew album finds Hot Chip confronting an increasingly bleak world with a sound that embraces distortion, decay and dissonance without abandoning the communal pleasures at the heart of the band’s music. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026 Unlike Gregor Samsa who is confined to his room after transforming into a huge insect, the protagonist still has to go to work, a dark and bleak absurdity that lays bare the alienation, isolation, and hypocrisy of modern life. — Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026 Providing a faint ray of hope in this otherwise bleak start to life, the five baby orangutans have been settling into their new surroundings in Odisha at the Nandankanan Zoo. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 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
  • Cue the depressing rain, dark trench coats, and a dire dystopian dirge because the Blade Runner 2099 trailer is here!
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • How many other legendary companies will face a similarly depressing fate?
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Still, Saudi Arabia has viewed attendance at the event, and general support for the Gulf during turbulent times, as a loyalty test for global business leaders.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Zacharia’s time in China was just one of her career highlights that triggered intense media scrutiny following her brief and turbulent appointment as White House press secretary.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, getting electrons to cooperate in this fashion requires specific materials operating under some pretty chilly conditions.
    — Sven Badoux, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
  • An upper-level trough moving through the Northeast Friday will reinforce the chilly, dry air mass already in place, while strong high pressure builds in from Canada.
    — Kate Bilo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of chilly
Adjective
  • In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Connie Britton and Sam Nivola lead the series created by Nick Paley that blends mystery, dark comedy and the awkwardness of adolescence.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • There are waterproof Sorel boots for rainy-day exploring, classic Adidas sneakers for casual outfits, and plenty of polished options, from slingback flats and ballet flats to easy slip-on loafers.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Clippers fans also deserve more than having their parking picked up until an hour before game time, on one rainy workday, on late notice.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of rainy
Adjective
  • The chilling effect, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, is a phenomenon in which individuals refrain from engaging in expression for fear of getting into trouble.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Sectarian tensions and the disrupting force of the Cold War plunged the Middle Eastern nation into decades of armed conflict, with a chilling effect on daily life.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of chilling
Adjective
  • The daughter of a brass tree guest told me that on the last day, her mother pulled her aside and offered a somber warning.
    — Kate Berlant, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Miller's new ad opens with a somber sequence of close-ups of various people's faces as the congressman talks about how divorce affects families.
    — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • He was transfixed by the climbing tools hanging from the walls, and by the photographs of the store’s owners scaling snowy peaks in Alaska.
    — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Can Boise residents expect cold, snowy weather this winter — or warm, dry conditions?
    — Hali Smith October 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of snowy

Browse Nearby Words

bleaching
bleak
bleakly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleak. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bleak

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bleak

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All