bleaker; bleakest
1
: exposed and barren and often windswept
a bleak landscape
bleak soils
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
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
Some traders said the numbers were less severe than analysts' bleak forecasts.
—
Sabrina Valle, USA Today, 3 July 2025
No one is as funny and as bleak in the same sentence, or maybe even the same word.
—Literary Hub
july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
His family lived in the West New Brighton housing projects in a bleak part of Staten Island where more than 15 percent of the population lived below the poverty line.
—Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2025
Colorado’s health department is bracing for several layoffs early next month for workers focused on cancer and heart disease prevention, thanks to the apparent loss of nearly $2 million in federal grant funding and the state’s own bleak fiscal outlook.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bleak
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.
Sabrina Valle, USA Today, 3 July 2025
No one is as funny and as bleak in the same sentence, or maybe even the same word.
—Literary Hub
july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
His family lived in the West New Brighton housing projects in a bleak part of Staten Island where more than 15 percent of the population lived below the poverty line.
—Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2025
Colorado’s health department is bracing for several layoffs early next month for workers focused on cancer and heart disease prevention, thanks to the apparent loss of nearly $2 million in federal grant funding and the state’s own bleak fiscal outlook.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bleak
Cite this Entry
“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bleak. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bleak
adjective1
: open to wind or weather
a bleak coast
2
: cold entry 1 sense 1, raw
a bleak November evening
4
: very plain
bleakly
adverb
bleakness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share