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bleary

adjective

ˈblir-ē How to pronounce bleary (audio)
Definition of blearynext
1
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness disoriented, bleary passengers departing from the red-eye

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 The action begins during Paris Fashion Week, where a supermodel played by Bella Hadid staggers down the catwalk sweaty and bleary eyed, itching to escape the confines of her red leather Balenciaga ensemble. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 5 Jan. 2026 He was surrounded by his boys from Alabama, trading cracks with a bleary grin. — Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025 These are essentially gothic works, in which bleary, nocturnal isolation opens a door to bizarre impulses and uncanny transformations. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025 If earlier iterations of the lesbian vampire film were Gothic and ornate, Nadja is more shoegaze, captured on bleary black-and-white videotape with an expressionistic flair. — Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bleary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleary
  1. tired
  2. vague
  3. exhausted
  4. faint
  5. weary
  6. hazy
Adjective
  • Plus, while the pill improved certain sleep metrics, people who took it didn’t report being any less tired during the day.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Sep. 2026
  • All the locals are tired after another demanding [tourism] season, but at the same time, there is a feeling of optimism.
    — Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Visible, timely payments delivered through channels customers already trust, consistently outperform vague bill credits customers barely notice.
    — Amber Mullaney, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • According to Morrison, the best candidates skip posts with vague or bloated requirements.
    — Audrey Payne, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • Visibly exhausted, she’d recently been diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Eventually, the Cleveland defense was an exhausted mess with temperatures reaching the mid-90s, but the main point is that the Browns were a mess overall.
    — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of exhausted
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, her cheeks and lips were accented with a faint swipe of peach blush and rose gloss, and her lashes were coated in black mascara, giving the overall look a refined appeal.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even as their faint rally began to flourish in the eighth inning, there was no credible reason to believe the ending would be any different this time.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • But the image that emerges here is of an already war-weary, fragile and poor country being pushed ever closer to a breaking point.
    — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • In war-weary Lebanon, Israeli strikes have intensified in response to Hezbollah drone attacks.
    — Suzan Haidamous, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of weary
Adjective
  • Mercury opposes hazy Neptune, making expectations unclear and interruptions harder to manage.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The moody music, polygonal characters that feel almost hieroglyphic, and text presented in a mix of English, ancient languages, and invented languages make for a hazy experience.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of hazy

Browse Nearby Words

blears
bleary
bleary-eyed
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Cite this Entry

“Bleary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleary. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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