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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Korean startups Lumicraft and Reproduction took the AWS Award, which comes with KRW10 million ($6,900) in AWS cloud vouchers. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 These fiber-optic lines carry everything from cloud traffic and financial transactions to video calls between continents. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
This passion for sports, however, can cloud a fan’s understanding of the basic data. — Abigail Hall, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026 Something about home or family could be distracting you in a way that’s clouding your read on your professional situation today. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 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
  • The Republican candidate has been hobbling through the race, with lackluster fundraising and a long history of personal and legal scandals casting a pall over his candidacy.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The play cast a pall over the rest of the game, but Oregon backup quarterback Dylan Raiola managed to throw for 289 yards and two touchdowns against USC’s defense.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of pall
Verb
  • Writers would deliberately distort certain letters to convey their identities to close confidantes and obscure them from others.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, the whole point of lethal injection is to obscure the violence of the state taking a human life.
    — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • Dealing with the British, his Tenzing is scrupulous and honorable, but don’t confuse that with subservience.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Decoys, which carry no explosives, help confuse Russian air defenses and force them to waste ammunition.
    — Jarrett Ley, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Noun
  • And liquid nitrogen could transform custard into ice cream in the blink of an eye, engulfing the table in a theatrical fog.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In some locations, the fog will become locally dense and reduce visibility to one-quarter mile or less at times.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fog
Verb
  • The lines between human and machine-generated IP are blurring, ushering in complex legal, ethical and operational challenges.
    — Jennifer C. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Menon's photo reveals spectacular pink, purple and red auroras glowing in Earth's upper atmosphere above a sparse dappling of city lights, subtly blurred by the motion of the orbital spacecraft over the course of the exposure.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Oct. 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
  • After crossing southern Spain, the moon’s shadow will race east across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before crossing the Red Sea into Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and continuing across Somalia and into the Indian Ocean.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Models stormed the runway with high-brow shadow, crafted by Dick Page, using bright greasepaints and theatrical colors.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of shadow
Verb
  • But the security backdrop in the Strait of Hormuz is darkening even as rates fall.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Cook until the sauce darkens and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 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 15 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cloud

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cloud

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