1
as in depressing
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a bleak outlook for the team for the rest of the season
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
it was a dark and bleak wintry day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chilly
uncomfortably cool
a bleak December morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bleak
Vahom is testament to Czechoslovakia’s past as a Cold War arms manufacturer, and also the industry’s bleak outlook after the fall of communism.
—
Daniel Hornak, Bloomberg, 26 Mar. 2026
Post-Culloden is bleak as hell.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
The survey paints a bleak picture of a workforce quietly suffocating under the weight of its own schedule.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
The data is even bleaker for certain parts of the state, according to analysis by Prosperity Indiana, a state-level advocacy group.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bleak
Daniel Hornak, Bloomberg, 26 Mar. 2026
Post-Culloden is bleak as hell.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
The survey paints a bleak picture of a workforce quietly suffocating under the weight of its own schedule.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
The data is even bleaker for certain parts of the state, according to analysis by Prosperity Indiana, a state-level advocacy group.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bleak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleak
Adjective
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The Knicks went on to defeat the tanking, depleted Grizzlies handily, a 130-119 win good enough to snap a depressing three-game losing streak against the Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Far from a depressing gray room located in a basement, The Bridge and its massive windows put a spotlight on the natural beauty of Hong Kong.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The area's geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can contribute to turbulent air and quick weather changes that pose hazards for aviation.—
JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Three people were killed when a tour helicopter broke apart near Honolulu in April 2019, and that December seven people died, including three children, when one crashed in turbulent weather near the Na Pali Coast.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some parts of the nation are in for a chilly few days, but soon nearly everywhere will feel like spring — or summer.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Hours later, those fans sat bundled up in rainy, chilly conditions as a power outage hit parts of downtown Minneapolis, affecting Target Field.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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On the last night that anybody else reportedly saw Nancy, that camera caught a glimpse of a person clad in dark clothes, wearing gloves and a black balaclava, unidentifiable, standing at the threshold.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Not only did that article form the basis of the film, but Lumet actually took the note and cast Pacino in the role of that dark, thin fellow.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The beetles take advantage of the fact that the construction workers who finished the house just a few months earlier miscalculated and left too much space between the doors and the ground, failing to consider insects or the rainy season.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
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Fire trucks lined up outside a funeral home in Chicago’s southwest suburbs on a gray and rainy Tuesday morning for the funeral of Michael Altman, a Chicago firefighter who died while working to put out a Rogers Park fire earlier this month.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In previous interviews with USA TODAY, experts said the FCC's action could have a chilling effect on television broadcasters’ speech.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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The perils of late-stage capitalism and the swerve away from Antihero TV toward toxic yuri make Galsworthy’s chilling protagonist Soames Forsyte quite difficult to root for, really.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The past few days’ fallout is a long way from any somber scene like that.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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The glow of hundreds of candles illuminated somber faces, sobs often cutting through the silence in the crisp spring air.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The cheers from that snowy day under the cavernous tent testified that an ownership culture can work wonders.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, some good news is in the forecast for the drought- and heat-plagued West, as a cool, wet and even snowy pattern is forecast to bring some relief that's desperately needed across the region.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleak. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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