cloudy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈklau̇-dē 

cloudier; cloudiest

1

: of, relating to, or resembling cloud

cloudy smoke

2

: darkened by gloom or anxiety

a cloudy mood

3

a

: overcast with clouds

cloudy weather

b

: having a cloudy sky

a cloudy day

4

: obscure in meaning

cloudy issues

also : uncertain as to fact or outcome

a cloudy future

5

: dimmed or dulled as if by clouds

a cloudy mirror

6

: uneven in color or texture

7

: having visible material in suspension : murky

a cloudy liquid

cloudily

ˈklau̇-də-lē 

adverb

cloudiness

ˈklau̇-dē-nəs 

noun

cloudiness

2 of 2

noun

cloud·​i·​ness ˈklau̇-dē-nəs 

plural -es

: cloudy or clouded condition or appearance

especially : the amount of cloud formation covering the sky

—usually expressed in tenths or eighths

Synonyms of cloudy

Adjective

• muddy
• turbid

Examples of cloudy in a Sentence

Adjective

Tomorrow will be cloudy and cold.

the water coming out of the faucet was unusually cloudy

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Throughout the album, mary in the junkyard shift constantly, moving from crumbling atmospheric experiments to cloudy Pacific Northwest indie rock to the kind of straightforward classical guitar poems of Leonard Cohen’s early albums. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026

Late in the evening, look toward the southeast, where the Milky Way’s faint and cloudy band may gradually emerge as your eyes adjust to the darkness. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Devine told me that e-bike and moped marketing is confusing and regulations keeping e-bikes safely classified are cloudy. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 July 2026

On a cloudy-white Sunday morning in June, Joey Phelps shuffles into the familiar back pew of Yeakley Chapel, the small Methodist church that has been a part of his life for nearly 50 years. — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cloudy

• dowdy
• howdy
• rowdy

Kids Definition

cloudy

adjective

ˈklau̇d-ē 

cloudier; cloudiest

1

: darkened by gloom or anxiety

a cloudy mood

2

: covered over by clouds

a cloudy sky

3

: dimmed or dulled as if by clouds

a cloudy mirror

4

: uneven in color or texture

5

: having visible material in suspension

the water from the faucet was cloudy

cloudily

ˈklau̇d-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

cloudiness

ˈklau̇d-ē-nəs 

noun