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.

Mezzo Kelsey Lauritano’s Erika got a few lyrical moments, including her signature aria, “Must the winter come so soon,” which was briefly reprised—unnecessarily—to drive home the bleakness of the ending.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

From BBC • Dec. 19, 2025

Our beginning-of-the-year customs go hand in hand with its bleakness as we choose to make ourselves more cheerless by abstaining from things we enjoy, while pushing ourselves towards the more mundane and less exciting.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2025

The movie’s Australian-born director, Justin Kurzel, has long had a thing for bleakness, and his new movie won’t disabuse you of that characterization.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024

The wind, the empty sky, the deserted earth—Miyax had felt the bleakness of being left behind once before.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George