adj Uncommon

bleak

bleek

Bleak (adj) means Cold, grey, and exposed, with nothing to soften the harshness of the scene. Example: “The moor looked bleak under the winter sky.”

adj

Cold, grey, and exposed, with nothing to soften the harshness of the scene.

"The moor looked bleak under the winter sky."

"A bleak wind blew across the empty car park."

Offering little hope; grim.

"The outlook for the struggling company looked bleak."

"Doctors gave a bleak prognosis after the accident."

How to use bleak

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCold and cheerless, whether describing weather, landscape, or a hopeless situation.

Common pairings

bleak future bleak landscape bleak outlook

Word forms

bleaker comparative, bleaks plural, bleak plural, bleakest superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The moor looked _____ under the winter sky.

Etymology

From Old English "blāc," meaning pale, related to Old Norse "bleikr" — the same root that gave us "bleach."

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for bleak

weak beak leak peak teak break speak wreak creak freak sneak steak

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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.

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