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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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 cloud
Noun
Weeks later, Zuckerberg confirmed the cloud plans on Meta’s earnings call. — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 Tuesday, a pleasant evening is expected, with mainly clear skies and occasional passing high clouds. — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 20 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
  • What resonated most for me, though, was witnessing conversations where depth of understanding unveiled perspectives previously obscured.
    — Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • Bill Belichick has made a Hall of Fame career on confusing young quarterbacks.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Splitter praises his movement on and off the ball, which seems to visibly confuse opposing defenses.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Noun
  • Loose white sand blew into the air and whirled around at the edge of the sea like a fog.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Tigers’ entourage, scheduled to appear here for SEC Basketball Media Day, could not take off due to the fog, grounding them for their session, the league announced.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fog
Verb
  • Scientists have been able to measure quantum effects in larger and more complex systems and over great distances, blurring the line once thought to separate the scale of observer and observed.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The distinction between entertainment platforms and traditional media is becoming increasingly blurred.
    — Victoria Usher, Forbes.com, 20 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
  • The bill had sought to sanction Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers that keeps Russian energy moving.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • But Krasner has long been eclipsed by the shadow of her husband, even after his death in 1956.
    — David Morgan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of shadow
Verb
  • Abdalla’s fall refresh enhances her brunette base by darkening her roots and replacing those golden ribbons with warm brunette tones for lived-in dimension.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, the surrounding sky darkens, increasing the contrast until the pale daytime moon seems to switch on at dusk and grow increasingly brilliant.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of darken

Phrases Containing cloud

Browse Nearby Words

clotting
cloud
cloudburst
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cloud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloud. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on cloud

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cloud

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All