cloudy
Americanadjective
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full of or overcast by clouds.
a cloudy sky.
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having little or no sunshine.
a cloudy but rainless day.
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having cloudlike markings.
cloudy marble.
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not clear or transparent; murky.
He could not see through the cloudy liquid.
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darkened by gloom, trouble, etc.
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under suspicion, disgrace, etc..
a gambler with a cloudy reputation.
adjective
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covered with cloud or clouds
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of or like a cloud or clouds
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streaked or mottled like a cloud
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opaque or muddy
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obscure or unclear
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troubled by gloom or depression
his face had a cloudy expression
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cloudy
First recorded before 900; Middle English cloudi, Old English clūdig “rocky, hilly”; see cloud, -y 1
Explanation
When the sky is cloudy, it's so full of clouds that you can't see the sun. A cloudy day isn't ideal for a trip to the beach, and a cloudy night isn't great for star gazing. A cloudy sky tells you that rain's on the way, while a cloudy pond or a cloudy glass of water isn't translucent — you can't see through it. You can also describe an issue, thought, or memory as cloudy when it's vague or half-remembered or unclear. Cloudy comes from the Old English word clud, "mass of rock," and later "cloud," based on the way a cloud can resemble a rock or hill.
Vocabulary lists containing cloudy
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.
Expect cloudy and cool conditions, similar to a “very deep marine-like layer,” the weather service said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
England and Wales will remain mostly cloudy, and while southern England and South Wales are likely to see sunny spells develop, some heavy and thundery showers could be triggered.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
Still, hundreds of families sat out under mild, cloudy skies, picnicking amid sweeping views of the snow-capped Alborz mountains -- a postcard scene at odds with a city under regular attack.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Modified taurine is nontoxic but creates a slightly cloudy appearance.
From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026
Kainene sat next to him and said little throughout dinner, once sharply asking a steward to change a glass that looked cloudy, once leaning over to ask, “The sauce is nauseating, isn’t it?”
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
