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
1
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."
2
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 notesIn plain EnglishCold and cheerless, whether describing weather, landscape, or a hopeless situation.
Common pairings
bleak future
bleak landscape
bleak outlook
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Word forms
- Plural
- bleaks
- Comparative
- bleaker
- Superlative
- bleakest
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."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bleak
See all rhymes for 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.
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