blur

American  

[blur] / blɜr /

verb (used with object)

blurred, blurring

1. to obscure or sully (something) by smearing or with a smeary substance.

   The windows were blurred with soot.

2. to obscure by making confused in form or outline; make indistinct.

   The fog blurred the outline of the car.

   Synonyms:

   mask, veil, darken, dim, cloud

3. to dim the perception or susceptibility of; make dull or insensible.

   The blow on the head blurred his senses.

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verb (used without object)

blurred, blurring

1. to become indistinct.

   Everything blurred as she ran.

2. to make blurs.

noun

1. a smudge or smear that obscures.

   a blur of smoke.

2. a blurred condition; indistinctness.

   They could see nothing in the foggy blur.

3. something seen indistinctly.

   The ship appeared as a blur against the horizon.

blur British  

/ ˈblɜːd-, ˈblɜːrɪdlɪ, blɜː /

verb

1. to make or become vague or less distinct

   heat haze blurs the hills

   education blurs class distinctions

2. to smear or smudge

3. (tr) to make (the judgment, memory, or perception) less clear; dim

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noun

1. something vague, hazy, or indistinct

2. a smear or smudge

Other Word Forms

• blurred adjective
• blurredly adverb
• blurredness noun
• blurriness noun
• blurringly adverb
• blurry adjective
• unblurred adjective

Etymology

Origin of blur

First recorded in 1540–50; akin to blear

Example Sentences

Along the way, the case was transformed into TikTok content that blurred the line between awareness and entertainment—between engaging with injustice and consuming it as spectacle.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, the proliferation of slop presents a lasting challenge as AI capabilities blur the line between human and AI creations.

From MarketWatch

But some comments under the video from fans voiced concerns about how the game looked - with some pointing out a drop in frame rates, and others criticising the use of motion blur.

From BBC

That combination of cultural reverence and unchecked authority, critics argue, can create environments where boundaries blur and where aspiring actors feel they have little leverage to push back.

From Salon

Restorations of unknown date have resulted in the exposure of under drawing in certain areas, like the drapery of Salome, and a blurring of the line distinguishing the Virgin’s pillow from the gilded ground.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• darken
• dim
• muddy
• obscure
• soften