1
a
: fine dust, smoke, or light vapor causing lack of transparency of the air
b
: a cloudy appearance in a transparent liquid or solid
also
: a dullness of finish (as on furniture)
2
: something suggesting atmospheric haze
especially
: vagueness of mind or mental perception
hazed; hazing
: to make hazy, dull, or cloudy
: to become hazy or cloudy
hazed; hazing
1
a
: to harass by exacting unnecessary or disagreeable work
b
: to harass by banter, ridicule, or criticism
2
: to haze by way of initiation
haze the fraternity pledges
3
Western US
: to drive (animals, such as cattle or horses) from horseback
hazer
noun
Examples of haze in a Sentence
Noun
The bar was filled with a smoky haze.
She stumbled around in a drug-induced haze.
Verb (2)
the roughnecks on the oil rig would haze the young man for his refined manners and educated speech
Recent Examples on the Web
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 June 2025
With the haze of inexplicable death clouding every sequence, The Virgin Suicides reset the barometric pressure of teen movies.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
Gwozniac, oregonlive, 8 Apr. 2023
So Owen is scrambling and learning on the job — relying on his wits and a taste for risk — while his more seasoned colleagues are dreaming up ways to haze and undermine him.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for haze
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Noun
In June 2023, a surreal glowing orange haze descended on New York City and across other East Coast locations as winds concentrated and redirected smoke from Canada wildfires.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 June 2025
With the haze of inexplicable death clouding every sequence, The Virgin Suicides reset the barometric pressure of teen movies.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
Verb
In the past, Oregon officials tried to haze or trap and remove sea lions back to the ocean.
—Gwozniac, oregonlive, 8 Apr. 2023
So Owen is scrambling and learning on the job — relying on his wits and a taste for risk — while his more seasoned colleagues are dreaming up ways to haze and undermine him.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for haze
Cite this Entry
“Haze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haze. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
haze
2 of 3 verb
hazed; hazing
: to make or become hazy or cloudy
haze
3 of 3 verb
hazed; hazing
: to play unpleasant and humiliating tricks on (as new members of a college fraternity) or force to perform humiliating tasks or stunts
hazer
noun
Etymology
Noun
from hazy
Verb
origin unknown
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