bleakly
- adverb
- /blikli/
- She stared bleakly at the empty street, feeling hopeless about her situation.
- stared bleakly
- said bleakly
- smiled bleakly
Examples
-
"Over 1,500 lives," Sol echoed bleakly, watching Lori take a calming slug of bourbon.
Fiction book (2000) -
"Yeah," he said, smiling bleakly over at her.
Fiction book (1996) -
"But perhaps if I had said something, Meg and Leo would still be alive," she finished bleakly.
Fiction book (1996) -
Davy Shine was no longer crying but looking bleakly into space.
Fiction book (1997) -
Hector follows to the very water's edge, then stands and bleakly watches them.
Fiction book (1993) -
Wendy smiled bleakly as she looked up at the ship.
Fiction book (1991) -
The Stryder still hadn't moved, and she found herself wondering bleakly what he was waiting for.
Fiction book (2002) -
The General bleakly watched the snow drifting down to add to the accumulation on the ground outside his window.
Fiction book (2000) -
Dub was still sitting there, bleakly staring at the device when Lola returned late that afternoon.
Fiction book (2001) -
Becky stood at the curb and stared bleakly at passing cabs and tramcars.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
In a way that shows no chance of success
In an unhappy way because you feel upset
In a serious and determined way without showing any joy
In a sad, quiet way that shows someone is unhappy
In a way that makes you feel sad or hopeless
In a serious and sad way
In a sad way that shows no hope
In a gloomy way that makes people feel sad or hopeless
In a sad, lonely way as if left alone
In a sad, gloomy way
In a very sad, ashamed, and helpless way
In a sad, disappointed way
In a sad way that shows a person is sorry
In a way that shows no hope
Expecting bad results and showing little hope
In a sad or gloomy way that shows someone is unhappy
In a sad, hopeless way that shows you have lost hope
In a very sad way that shows no comfort or hope
In a boring, gloomy way that shows little energy
In a dark, bitter way that shows cruel, mocking feeling
In a sad way that shows no hope
In a way that shows great loneliness and sadness
In a way that makes you feel disappointed and lose hope
In a serious, unfriendly way that shows dislike
In a sad, tired way with little energy
In a very sad, gloomy way
In a bleak way that makes places feel empty
Antonyms
How Gloomy
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word bleakly comes from bleak, which comes from an old Norse word bleikr meaning 'pale' or 'bare' and was used for a cold, empty landscape. Because that image feels cold and without hope, bleakly now means 'in a gloomy, hopeless way'.