bleak

1 of 2

adjective

ˈblēk 

bleaker; bleakest

1

: exposed and barren and often windswept

a bleak landscape

bleak soils

2

: cold, raw

a bleak November evening

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

bleakness

2 of 2

noun

bleak·​ness

ˈblēk-nəs

plural -es

: the quality or state of being bleak

Synonyms of bleak

Adjective

• depressing
• dark
• somber
• lonely
• desolate
• depressive
• solemn
• darkening
• murky
• cold
• morbid
• gray
• lonesome
• miserable
• gloomy

Choose the Right Synonym for bleak

dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort.

dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

Examples of bleak in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

For a fleeting moment, the Arab Spring seemed to offer an escape from the bleak logic that had dominated the previous decade. — Ayman M. Mohyeldin, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026

There’s a bleak snowy field in Munich after the 1958 air disaster, a huge 1968 colour picture of a toothless Nobby Stiles parading the European Cup with his sidekick Paddy Crerand equally jubilant. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

In June, the athletic shoe giant offered a bleak outlook for its fiscal first half ending in November, expecting little change in earnings. — Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026

Things looked especially bleak because Michelsen hadn't dropped a single set in the tournament up to that point. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English bleke pale; probably akin to Old English blāc

First Known Use

Adjective

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bleak

• beak
• beek
• cheek
• chic
• clique
• creak
• creek
• eke
• freak
• geek
• greek
• leak

Kids Definition

bleak

adjective

ˈblēk 

1

: open to wind or weather

a bleak coast

2

: cold entry 1 sense 1, raw

a bleak November evening

3

: dreary, cheerless

the future looks bleak

4

: very plain

bleakly adverb

bleakness noun