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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bleak contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bleak are cheerless, desolate, dismal, dreary, and gloomy. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When is cheerless a more appropriate choice than bleak?

The words cheerless and bleak can be used in similar contexts, but cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

In what contexts can desolate take the place of bleak?

The meanings of desolate and bleak largely overlap; however, desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

When might dismal be a better fit than bleak?

The synonyms dismal and bleak are sometimes interchangeable, but dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

Where would dreary be a reasonable alternative to bleak?

While the synonyms dreary and bleak are close in meaning, dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

When would gloomy be a good substitute for bleak?

The words gloomy and bleak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

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 bleak When things looked bleak, KU’s offense found its footing. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025 While there is still a chance that Sanders and Colorado can turn things around, the rest of the season is looking bleak. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 From a bleak job hunt upon her arrival in 2016 to undergoing treatment for her second bout with breast cancer during the uncertainty and fear of COVID, Davis recalls her journey through raw vulnerability and splashes of humor. Essence, 1 Oct. 2025 And that outlook has been looking increasingly bleak. Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bleak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleak
Adjective
  • As a result, his work is equal parts depressing and invigorating.
    Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
  • This also doesn’t imply the book is depressing or a tear-jerker—quite the opposite.
    Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Nintendo Switch era has been turbulent for the franchise, to put it mildly.
    Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Now, in an increasingly turbulent world, those barriers are going back up.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Mauricio Pochettino saw the contrast this week when the USMNT swerved from one friendly in sunny Austin to another in relatively chilly Denver.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The unsatisfying partnerships and the chilly childhood, not-so-nurtured under British colonialism.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • These early, somber moments cast a mood, but the film is eager to hold Polly’s feet to some fire.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The primary hue associated with passion and confidence is the instant energy boost your wardrobe needs—especially during the fall and winter, when the somber mood outside often gets expressed in neutrals-heavy style.
    Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Neither Alec Baldwin nor his younger brother Stephen Baldwin, who was a passenger in the Range Rover, was injured in the crash on a rainy Monday afternoon on Montauk Highway, East Hampton.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The rains were triggered by the convergence of two tropical storms churning off Mexico’s western coast, striking at the end of an unusually heavy rainy season that has left rivers overflowing and hillsides weakened.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Everyone was smoking, chilling.
    Allen Iverson, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
  • This chilling series unravels one of the most notorious unsolved crimes of our era, now taking a turn as a major suspect heads to trial.
    Giana Levy, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Kennedy sought the advice of doctors after dealing with severe memory loss and brain fog, reportedly leading to a scan of his brain that showed a dark spot in the imagery.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Instantly, her apartment faded away, to be replaced by a dark void.
    Big Think, Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The famed six center windows of the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship will bring scenes of New York City to life, from a snowy Central Park boat scene to a holiday tree decorated as only Saks Fifth Avenue can create.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The confusing feelings of anger and what was once a loving friendship lead to an engaging battle amongst the snowy grounds of a graveyard.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleak. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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