blur
to obscure or sully (something) by smearing or with a smeary substance: The windows were blurred with soot.
to obscure by making confused in form or outline; make indistinct: The fog blurred the outline of the car.
to dim the perception or susceptibility of; make dull or insensible: The blow on the head blurred his senses.
to become indistinct: Everything blurred as she ran.
to make blurs.
a smudge or smear that obscures: a blur of smoke.
a blurred condition; indistinctness: They could see nothing in the foggy blur.
something seen indistinctly: The ship appeared as a blur against the horizon.
Origin of blur
1Other words for blur
Other words from blur
- blur·red·ly [blur-id-lee, blurd-], /ˈblɜr ɪd li, ˈblɜrd-/, adverb
- blur·red·ness, noun
- blur·ring·ly, adverb
- un·blurred, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use blur in a sentence
With the exception of the dollar, the screens are a blur of red this morning.
The epic GameStop short squeeze continues to roil global markets—even Bitcoin is off | Bernhard Warner | January 28, 2021 | FortuneThat’s easy and obvious to say following Monday night’s masterpiece, a 52-24 decision that left Ohio State some combination of smeared across the turf and blinking at the blur that just sailed by.
After all the disruption in college football, it was all domination for Alabama | Barry Svrluga | January 12, 2021 | Washington PostIn pre-pandemic times, the typical sidewalk parade of assorted furry creatures — led by their human companions clutching plastic bags of doggy poop — could seem a blur, hardly worth noticing.
Traveling through the pandemic in the company of dogs | Walter Nicklin | December 18, 2020 | Washington PostThe analysis suggested that the streaks in these images were not actually lines extended across the sky, but only appeared that way due to motion blur, as spherical blobs of glowing gas moved through the atmosphere.
STEVE may be even less like typical auroras than scientists thought | Maria Temming | November 12, 2020 | Science NewsJust because a camera creates more bokeh, doesn’t mean it’s beautiful blur.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max might be worth it—for the camera alone | Stan Horaczek | November 10, 2020 | Popular-Science
Yet all too often the line between Southern and Confederate can get blurred.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern | Lloyd Green | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST(That Williams was a lifelong Democrat illustrates the political blurred lines when it comes to laws related to pregnant women).
The Supreme Court Case Uniting Pro-Lifers & Pro-Choicers | Emily Shire | December 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTQuickly, the lines between their pretend feelings for each other and their real ones are blurred.
Team Peeta or Team Gale: Why the ‘Hunger Games’ Love Triangle Ruins ‘Mockingjay – Part 1’ | Kevin Fallon | November 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn Syria, he said, “the dividing lines are just so blurred.”
“When you have so many cops earning a living in these second jobs, the lines become blurred,” said Officer Ming.
Studying it very carefully, he thought he made out "Mrs." before the moss-blurred name.
The Cromptons | Mary J. HolmesHe stops in front of a blurred circle of yellow light; by this can one faintly perceive the outlines of a building.
Uncanny Tales | VariousThe man's pale face and gray hair looked blurred in the half-light of the cabin.
Mystery Ranch | Arthur ChapmanIt was after midnight then, and a cold fog made the station a gloomy thing of blurred yellow lights and raw chill.
The Amazing Interlude | Mary Roberts RinehartWith the soft tuft of camel hair he blurred against the peak pale, luminous vapor of new cloud.
The Dragon Painter | Mary McNeil Fenollosa
British Dictionary definitions for blur
/ (blɜː) /
to make or become vague or less distinct: heat haze blurs the hills; education blurs class distinctions
to smear or smudge
(tr) to make (the judgment, memory, or perception) less clear; dim
something vague, hazy, or indistinct
a smear or smudge
Origin of blur
1Derived forms of blur
- blurred, adjective
- blurredly (ˈblɜːrɪdlɪ, ˈblɜːd-), adverb
- blurredness, noun
- blurriness, noun
- blurry, adjective
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
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