cloud 1 of 2

noun

ˈklau̇d How to pronounce cloud (audio)
Definition of cloudnext
as in pall
an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom all day we were under a cloud until we heard the good news

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cloud

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct the diner's dark interior, clouded with smoke and grease

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to confuse
to make (something) unclear to the understanding cloud the issue with obscure statistics

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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 cloud
Noun
Around 85 seconds into the launch, the rocket exploded, generating a massive fireball and a cloud of smoke and debris while still soaring through Earth's atmosphere. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Its remaining rain clouds continued to soak the eastern provinces including Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong on Monday. — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
Once again, a beat on quarterly revenue expectations was clouded by a 142% increase in capital expenditure. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 23 July 2026 At the same time, Jupiter’s opposition to Pluto retrograde reminds us that ambition without self-awareness can inevitably cloud our judgment, tempting us to overextend ourselves in the relentless pursuit of success. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cloud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloud
  1. pall
  2. obscure
  3. confuse
  4. fog
  5. blur
  6. becloud
  7. shadow
  8. darken
Noun
  • Whatever its stated purpose, the assertion seemed designed to cast a pall on the elections four months hence.
    — James Robenalt, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • Slower growth could cast a pall on the November midterm elections.
    — David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 25 July 2026
Definition of pall
Verb
  • Totality — when the sun is completely obscured — is only visible within the narrow path of the moon's shadow.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • No political spin, just a focus on the numbers from governments’ own reports and how their unique accounting rules and financial definitions are obscuring the full truth of their financial story.
    — Sheila Weinberg, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • The Studio Behind The Technology Annapurna Studios (not to be confused with the Megan Ellison-founded Annapurna Pictures in Hollywood) has been a cornerstone of Indian cinema for half a century.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But there is the risk that his strategy will backfire by confusing investors.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of confuse
Noun
  • As his mind retreats to the hues of old movies, Charlotte breaks the fog with a glimmer of humanity.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Forecasts show temperatures reaching highs in the 90s throughout the remainder of the week, in addition to isolated thunderstorms, fog and showers.
    — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of fog
Verb
  • Miramax's explosive success with Pulp Fiction ignited an indie boom, rewrote Oscar campaigns, and blurred the line between independent cinema and the Hollywood mainstream.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 4 Aug. 2026
  • With an interior volume of 1,100 GT, the yacht features a generous open-plan layout designed to blur the traditional boundaries between the indoor and outdoor environments.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of blur
Verb
  • But instead of sounding the alarm, defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus.
    — Edward Fitzpatrick, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2019
  • His flacks and surrogates hand out scraps of information grudgingly, infrequently, and beclouded by fragrant eructations of doublespeak.
    — Charles Seife, Slate Magazine, 1 Mar. 2017
Definition of becloud
Noun
  • Totality — when the sun is completely obscured — is only visible within the narrow path of the moon's shadow.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The regulatory framework — not the smell itself — determines whether cannabis use happens in the open under reasonable rules or in the shadows with none at all.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of shadow
Verb
  • The sky darkens to twilight, exposing the Sun's corona and sometimes revealing stars and planets as temperatures briefly cool.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The summer sounds of 1966 offered a distraction from darkening clouds of social and political upheaval.
    — Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of darken

Phrases Containing cloud

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clotting
cloud
cloudburst
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Cite this Entry

“Cloud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloud. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cloud

Nglish: Translation of cloud for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cloud

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