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
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
the morning bleakness prompted me to get a fire going
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bleak
Catherine Bray, Variety, 16 May 2025
The bleak first quarter at the box office took a toll on AMC’s earnings, which the chain reported last week.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
But the folksy family spectacle took several bleak turns.
—Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 13 May 2025
This bleak vision of Hollywood makes for a fascinating backdrop.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bleak
Adjective
With a tight runtime, magnetic central performance and bleak but compelling subject matter, theatrical prospects could be potentially rewarding for an appropriate arthouse distributor.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 16 May 2025
The bleak first quarter at the box office took a toll on AMC’s earnings, which the chain reported last week.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
But the folksy family spectacle took several bleak turns.
—Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 13 May 2025
This bleak vision of Hollywood makes for a fascinating backdrop.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bleak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleak
Adjective
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The mortality rates of small indie presses and literary journals are a depressing feature of our cultural landscape.—
Michael Washburn,
National Review,
25 May 2025
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Despite there being ample intrigue and mystery around what happened to Peter's first wife, the truth is pretty depressing.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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These steps prevent, rather than heal, costly losses that weaken a company’s cash position, especially in turbulent times.—
Dean Kaplan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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This time, there’s still some uneasiness around the organization, mainly rooted in its turbulent recent past.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Listen to this article A small group, most wearing light jackets in the chilly May evening, gathered in prayer outside the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City Monday night just hours before Benjamin Ritchie was executed by lethal injection.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
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During chilly morning boat excursions, hot water bottles appeared on our seats.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Here, homeowners can whip up cocktails to serve guests from the indoor bar tucked into the bulkhead, exercise their green thumbs tending to the mature plantings, or just chill under the vine-laced pergola.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
23 May 2025
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The game seems to synthesize every kind of cycling out there: chill peddling about the countryside; furious racing; and even downhill mountain action.—
Lewis Gordon,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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That’s the question writer-director Ari Aster’s somber comedy-Western Eddington, playing in competition here at the Cannes Film Festival, appears to be asking.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
17 May 2025
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Rayburn partners up with local sheriff Alice Gustafson (Annabelle Wallis) in a somber yet tumultuous pursuit of a killer who uses brutal traps and primal tactics.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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Inland flooding People in low-lying areas are familiar with how bad the streets get with Florida’s typical summer rainy season.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
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Trump and Musk cuts kneecapped forecasters Southern California already faced massive wildfires in January — normally the rainy season.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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The feared chilling effect on consumption, if any, would be limited to imports.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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In their Tuesday ruling, Eleventh Circuit Judges Robin Rosenbaum and Nancy Abudu agreed with the lower court’s findings that the ban was unconstitutionally vague and created a chilling effect on free speech.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them.,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Blast off at Baltimore's science fiction convention, see natural beauty envisioned by artists from around the world, take a stroll after dark at the zoo, celebrate Baltimore creatives or go to a legendary concert.—
John Coffren,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2025
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His dark worldview is premised on the pessimistic presumption that the world will turn on the Jews if given the chance, which is why the Israeli leader has long prized hard power over diplomatic understandings.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bleak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleak. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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