bleary-eyed
Americanadjective
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having bleary eyes.
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dull of perception; shortsighted.
adjective
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with eyes blurred, as with old age or after waking
-
physically or mentally unperceptive
Etymology
Origin of bleary-eyed
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400
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.
As Lenny left the stage, an exodus of crying babies, sugar-crashed toddlers and bleary-eyed parents trickled down the steep stairs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
BBC journalist Thomas Mackintosh was among a few bleary-eyed Scots in Athens who attended a football match against Greece a few hours ago but were up before sunrise for a flight to Heathrow.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2025
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer stopped by briefly Tuesday to fire up the crowd, which was bleary-eyed after the convention running late Monday and the after-parties.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2024
Inside the Palais, bleary-eyed attendees are treated to gratis espresso.
From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2024
The bus pulls up at an intersection, beside a cluster of bleary-eyed kids.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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.
