1
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
disoriented, bleary passengers departing from the red-eye
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
the bleary outline of a fishing boat could just be seen through the fog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bleary
Weinstein often looked haggard and out of it — unshaven, mouth ajar, eyes bleary.
—
Phoebe Eaton, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
The mere sight of your newborn—through bleary, tired eyes—can muster feelings of wonder and awe.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 9 Apr. 2025
Laugh Lines: For Movie Buffs P.S. Feeling a little bleary today?
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
Underneath my soaked baseball cap, my eyes are dark and bleary, my face stubbled and worn.
—Gary Greenberg, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bleary
Phoebe Eaton, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
The mere sight of your newborn—through bleary, tired eyes—can muster feelings of wonder and awe.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 9 Apr. 2025
Laugh Lines: For Movie Buffs P.S. Feeling a little bleary today?
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
Underneath my soaked baseball cap, my eyes are dark and bleary, my face stubbled and worn.
—Gary Greenberg, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bleary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleary
Adjective
-
If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Clearly, the fans are tired of Smith's constant issues with James.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
My ideas around him were vague and uninformed, mostly of the stiff host tolerating the younger acts.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The law is vague and broad and included no room for considering the literary merit of the work, and so the result was a wave of book bans across the state.—
Peter Greene,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The joke is that their jobs have left them too exhausted to do much of anything at all.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
14 Aug. 2025
-
He’s seen firsthand what happens when officers feel unsupported, disengaged, and emotionally exhausted.—
Kevin Kruse,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The vodka is crisp with faint cooked cereal aromas.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
But soon, a faint tightness crept into his left foot.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Many senior party and military leaders, weary after years of a punishing civil war, were reluctant to go up against the strongest force in the world.—
M. Taylor Fravel,
Foreign Affairs,
18 July 2025
-
There’s no rest for the weary — or in this case, the Florida Panthers.—
Kaitlyn Pohly,
Miami Herald,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
As the largest fire in Florida this year continues to burn in the Everglades, people in South Florida — particularly in Broward County — can expect smoky, hazy skies through the weekend.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Like much of the U.S., Chicago was under a thick hazy blanket of wildfire smoke, creating dangerous conditions for anyone who breathes, but especially for the elderly and children.—
Marianne Krasny,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bleary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleary. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share