bleak
8 synonyms and 5 antonyms for bleak, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Cold, grey, and exposed, with nothing to soften the harshness of the scene.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use bleak
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
bleak future
bleak landscape
bleak outlook
Etymology
From Old English "blāc," meaning pale, related to Old Norse "bleikr" — the same root that gave us "bleach."
Full origin of bleak →Frequently asked questions
What does “bleak” mean?
The word “bleak” means cold, grey, and exposed, with nothing to soften the harshness of the scene. In plain terms, cold and cheerless, whether describing weather, landscape, or a hopeless situation.
How do you pronounce “bleak”?
“Bleak” is pronounced bleek (/bliːk/ in IPA).
How do you use “bleak” in a sentence?
Here is “bleak” used in a sentence: “The moor looked bleak under the winter sky.”
What part of speech is “bleak”?
“Bleak” is an adjective.
Where does the word “bleak” come from?
The word “bleak” comes from Old English. From Old English "blāc," meaning pale, related to Old Norse "bleikr" — the same root that gave us "bleach.".
Is “bleak” a common word?
“Bleak” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bleak” have?
“Bleak” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: cold, grey, and exposed, with nothing to soften the harshness of the scene.
