bleak
1 Americanadjective
-
bare, desolate, and often windswept.
a bleak plain.
-
cold and piercing; raw.
a bleak wind.
-
without hope or encouragement; depressing; dreary.
a bleak future.
noun
adjective
-
exposed and barren; desolate
-
cold and raw
-
offering little hope or excitement; dismal
a bleak future
noun
Synonym Usage
See austere.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of bleak1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bleke “pale,” blend of variants bleche ( Old English blǣc ) and blake ( Old English blāc ); both cognate with Old Norse bleikr, German bleich; akin to bleach
Origin of bleak2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bleke, noun use of bleke “pale”; see bleak 1
Explanation
Something that is bleak is gloomy and depressing. If it's raining and dark, you might describe the night as bleak. If you have looked for work and no one will hire you, you could describe your prospects as bleak. If you and the ten people sharing your lifeboat have been adrift for ten days and are down to your last cracker, your situation is bleak. A near synonym is dismal. Bleak is from Middle English bleik, from Old Norse bleikr, "white, pale." This word is related to the English word bleach.
Vocabulary lists containing bleak
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Barras and Fearon had travelled from Newark in Nottinghamshire that evening to raid Bleak House, where Martin stored antiques.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
Appeared in the February 7, 2026, print edition as 'A Bleak New York Nocturne'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
It’s called Interesting Times, rather than Foreboding Times, Quixotic Times, or Bleak Times—which is an indication of where he stands.
From Slate • Oct. 7, 2025
Bleak as that thought is, it might also be reassuring if you love this show.
From Salon • Dec. 26, 2024
Bleak and dry and sandy with rock ridges.
From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
