as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
the morning bleakness prompted me to get a fire going
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Recent Examples of bleakness
In Pynchon’s best works, his bleakness is brightened, in both senses—illuminated and made lighter—by the sweep of his vision and his affection for his fallible, foolhardy, well-meaning, wildly outmatched main characters.
—
Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
The campaign has already exceeded its goal by more than $38,000 dollars, with six days to go, proving no amount of dystopian bleakness will deter true Black Mirror fans.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
While The Road confronts us with the bleakness of planetary destruction, the sensory deprivation chamber in which Harpman holds her characters (and, therefore, readers) leaves no choice but to travel deep into our bodies.
—Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
The campaign has already exceeded its goal by more than $38,000 dollars, with six days to go, proving no amount of dystopian bleakness will deter true Black Mirror fans.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
While The Road confronts us with the bleakness of planetary destruction, the sensory deprivation chamber in which Harpman holds her characters (and, therefore, readers) leaves no choice but to travel deep into our bodies.
—Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleakness
Noun
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Stir briefly to chill, then (if in a mixing glass) strain over a large piece of ice in a rocks glass.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
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Wrap and chill until easy to handle, 1 hour.—
Jessica Saari Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Chocolate’s distinctive taste begins with cocoa beans, harvested from trees and fermented right on the cocoa farm to develop their aroma and reduce bitterness.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
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For the signature bitterness, instead of the classic Campari, Taylor used the deeper Averna—where Campari’s orange bitterness is bright and juicy, Averna’s orange bitterness is a lower hum, like a flourless chocolate cake.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bleakness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleakness. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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