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bleak

bleak

16 4.9
An open empty place with little shelter or plants
  • adjective
  • /blik/
translation icon : desolado
  • She stood on the bleak cliff, staring at the turbulent sea crashing against the rocks below.
  • a bleak landscape
  • look bleak

See it as a break in a rather bleak space.

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Examples

  • The open, heavily grazed Mediterranean landscape can appear to be uniformly bleak, especially during the dry summer.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The late-nineteenth-century New Jersey estate, across the street from a graveyard, looked bleak in the afternoon light.

    Academic text (2004)
  • But there is a world where for many it does seem bleak just because it's all they know.

  • " Yes, dear friend? " said Black, looking at the bleak sky where once green was.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Ed had turned it into a bleak combination of office and storage.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • I looked around at the bleak state government cafeteria where few people seemed thrilled with their lives.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • From the outside, the studios can seem as bleak and uninviting as fortresses.

  • Above them loomed the continents, bleak as the landscapes of the moon.

  • In the heart of Berlin, where you might expect bronze statuary, you'll find instead a bleak, undulating landscape of tombstone-like monoliths.

    Academic text (2016)
  • On the bleak moors, only the wind and occasional sheep could be seen for miles.

Synonyms

dark
vsbleak
377 1.0

Feeling gloomy and sad

means exposed empty places with little shelter rather than mood-based gloom
bare
vsbleak
217 2.2

Not covered or protected, showing the plain surface

highlights inhospitable emptiness and lack of shelter rather than mere uncovering
grim
vsbleak
73 4.2

Sad and hopeless, making things seem very bad

focuses on empty exposed places and lack of shelter rather than feeling
barren
vsbleak
57 4.6

Land where plants and animals cannot grow

describes exposed emptiness and lack of shelter rather than failure to sustain life
dreary
vsbleak
44 3.8

A gloomy, boring time that makes you feel sad or tired

emphasizes physical lack of shelter and sustenance not just mood
desolate
vsbleak
29 6.8

Empty and bleak with little life or shelter

emphasizes exposed, open character offering little protection or cover
stark
vsbleak
22 4.8

Very plain and empty with no decoration

stresses exposed emptiness and lack of shelter more than plainness
gloomy
vsbleak
16 2.3

Dark and not well lit so a place feels sad

refers to exposed open places with little shelter rather than low light
arid
vsbleak
1 6.3

Not interesting and without energy or life

describes physical exposure and lack of shelter rather than figurative lifelessness
drear
vsbleak
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A dull, cold, and depressing place or scene

highlights exposed empty places offering no shelter rather than mood
dismal
vsbleak
5.8

A dark, gloomy place that makes people feel afraid or uncomfortable

describes exposed empty places lacking shelter rather than emotional gloom
gloomful
vsbleak
  • Archaic
7.8

Dark and sad in a way that makes you feel unhappy

points to empty exposed areas lacking shelter rather than just darkness

Antonyms

51 3.7

Rich and full, like thick plants or juicy fruit

1 3.2

Protected from wind, rain, or danger by something that covers it

1 2.3

Having a warm, pleasant appearance that makes people want to come closer

Idioms

as bleak as Mordor
  • Literature
9.9

A very empty and depressing place like a dark, lifeless land

How Bleak

inhospitable
14 7.0
desolate
29 6.8
bleak
16 4.9
bare
217 2.2
exposed
1 3.4
sparse
31 5.0

Surface Forms

bleak positive
bleaker comparative
bleakest superlative

Etymology

Bleak likely comes from an old Norse word bleikr, meaning 'pale'. Picture a pale, empty landscape with no trees or shelter, and you can see why bleak means bare and unwelcoming.