as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
historically regarded as a dreich corner of Britain, Scotland's very name comes from the Greek word for "dark"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreich
Adjective
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These events aren’t illuminating, and feel instead like a bleak betrayal.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
28 Feb. 2026 -
The outlook is bleak for Spurs.—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Both teams wore their dark jerseys for the 266th meeting between the teams and UCLA improved to 150-116 in a series dating to 1928 when UCLA joined the Pacific Coast Conference.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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In all, eight of the 28 shows lost a performance (many productions are dark on Sunday nights anyway), and most took significant box office blows.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
One day, one of the less depressing reminders of said past comes knocking in the form of an old Navy SEAL buddy, Calvin (Logan Marshall-Green, who’s evolved from Tom Hardy clone to Jon Bernthal lookalike).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Feb. 2026
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But Funt’s writing about sports gambling’s ‘winners’ is almost as depressing as the look at its losers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That perspective was a lonely and isolating one.—
Nina Zipkin,
CNBC,
2 Mar. 2026
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But ‘no writer worth his salt is even, or can be,’ Eudora Welty wrote, reviewing Salinger’s lonely nine in these pages.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The mood in some corners of the Penguins locker room was somber on Wednesday.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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The nonprofit provides support to the Jewish community, and leaders reflected on the lifeline that assistance has meant to Odesa on the somber fourth anniversary of the conflict.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This can trigger depressive symptoms or worsen pre-existing symptoms for some women.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
18 Feb. 2026
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The fear alone sent Rzeznik down a depressive spiral of writer’s block, a move to New York City, and a separation from his wife.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Your character is a shape-shifting Ditto, and you’ve been dropped in a desolate landscape.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
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The gang pulls up to a desolate area, finding Albert's most recent car there.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This year, Russia has worked to keep Ukraine cold, presumably in an attempt to turn us against each other.—
Daria Kolomiec,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
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The orange juice is cold and freshly pressed, the espresso dark and strong, the tea served with a strainer (because proper leaves are used).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dreich.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreich. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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