bleary

[ bleer-ee ]

/ ˈblɪər i /

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See synonyms for bleary on Thesaurus.com

adjective, blear·i·er, blear·i·est.

(of the eyes or sight) blurred or dimmed, as from sleep or weariness.

indistinct; unclear: The day begins with a bleary view of one's world.

fatigued; worn-out.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of bleary

1350–1400; Middle English blery.See blear (adj.), -y¹

OTHER WORDS FROM bleary

blear·i·ly, adverbblear·i·ness, noun

Words nearby bleary

bleachery, bleaching powder, bleak, Bleak House, blear, bleary, bleary-eyed, Bleasdale, bleat, bleaunt, bleb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bleary in a sentence

Her eyes were bleary, and her cigarette held on to her lip like a magic trick.
Puerto Rican pernil is a standout Thanksgiving roast. Just guard that crispy skin.|Monti Carlo|November 18, 2021|Washington Post
By mid-June 2020, there were already signs that our bleary-eyed re-emergence was premature.
The U.S. COVID-19 Outbreak Is Still Bad—And It Could Get Worse|Chris Wilson|June 23, 2021|Time
An electrician looked under the porch to check the electrical box and saw bleary bear eyes blinking back.
Changing people’s behavior can make bear life better|Bethany Brookshire|April 8, 2021|Science News For Students
In the downstairs exhibit hall, attendees of all ages slumped on the white sofas like bleary-eyed rag dolls.
On CPAC Day 2, the Libertarian Wing Takes Over|Michelle Cottle|March 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It was just Mike Royko and his pal, Big Shack, and whatever their bleary musings happened to be that night three years ago.
The Stacks: John Schulian’s Classic Profile of Newspaper Columnist Mike Royko|John Schulian|January 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We convened at the White Horse Tavern, under the glum and bleary eyes of Dylan Thomas, Norman Mailer, and Jack Kerouac.
Fire and Forget: After Homecoming, Veterans Collect Stories of War|Roy Scranton|November 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Shots of a bleary-eyed William leaving a London club at the weekend in today's Daily Mail.
William Parties Like Harry|Tom Sykes|June 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The party scene grew and grew, and many a morning session was attended by bleary-eyed veterans of all-night binges.
Davos World Economic Forum’s Glum Kickoff|Christopher Dickey|January 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I found him first, a little withered, dried-up old fellow, wrinkled-faced and bleary-eyed and tottery.
Before Adam|Jack London
He was not a pleasant object to look upon, with his straggling hair, and his blotched face, and his bloodshot bleary eyes.
Grif|B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon
He was a very big, large-boned hound, gray with age and wrinkled and lame, and bleary-eyed.
Tales of lonely trails|Zane Grey
The bleary red eyes glanced at her keenly, and appeared to appreciate her disappointment.
The Leader of the Lower School|Angela Brazil
He paused with a grimy finger in the middle of a column of figures, and peered at Gipsy with a pair of red, bleary eyes.
The Leader of the Lower School|Angela Brazil

British Dictionary definitions for bleary

bleary

/ (ˈblɪərɪ) /

adjective blearier or bleariest

(of eyes or vision) dimmed or blurred, as by tears or tiredness

indistinct or unclear

exhausted; tired

Derived forms of bleary

blearily, adverbbleariness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bleary

Origin of bleary

OTHER WORDS FROM bleary

Words nearby bleary

Words related to bleary

How to use bleary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bleary

Derived forms of bleary