blur

verb

blurred; blurring

transitive verb

1

: to obscure or blemish by smearing

windows blurred by fingerprints

2

: sully

… an act that blurs the grace and blush of modesty.

—Shakespeare

3

: to make dim, indistinct, or vague in outline or character

His vision was blurred.

digitally blur the edges of photographs

blurring the line between fact and fiction

4

: to make cloudy or confused

… time had begun to blur her senses.

—W. A. White

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make blurs

… the moths tapped and blurred at the window screen …

—Robert Penn Warren

b

: move too quickly to be seen clearly

… it's like the … ride of a traveling carnival, with eerie lights and sharp turns on the rails and the odd unsettling image that blurs past you.

—Adrian McKinty

2

: to become vague or indistinct

distinctions between the two are beginning to blur

blurringly

ˈblər-iŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of blur

• confuse
• muddy
• obfuscate
• fog

Examples of blur in a Sentence

The tears in my eyes blurred the words on the page.

His novel is based on historical occurrences but it blurs the line between fact and fiction.

The two events have blurred together in my mind.

Recent Examples on the Web

In turn, one of the most common banking decisions people make — opening a joint bank account — may inadvertently blur those lines. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 June 2026

An oversized pivot door leads to the sprawling, open-plan living quarters, where curved, floor-to-ceiling windows blur the divide between the indoor and outdoor world. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 2 June 2026

Meanwhile, hospital visits and funerals of friends blurred together. —Christina Ray Stanton, Time, 2 June 2026

Critics argue that prediction markets blur the line between investing and gambling, especially as platforms expand into elections and sports. —Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

1520, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for blur

• birr
• bur
• cur
• er
• fir
• fur
• furr
• gurr
• her
• murr
• myrrh
• per

Kids Definition

blur

1 of 2 noun

ˈblər 

1

: a smear or stain that dims but does not completely cover

2

: something vague or lacking definite outline

blurry

-ē

adjective

blur

2 of 2 verb

blurred; blurring

1

: to make hard to see or read by smearing

2

: to make or become vague or unclear