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Synonyms

cloudy

American  
[klou-dee] / ˈklaʊ di /

adjective

cloudier, cloudiest
  1. full of or overcast by clouds.

    a cloudy sky.

    Synonyms:
    overcast, gloomy, shadowy, lowering, murky, hazy
  2. having little or no sunshine.

    a cloudy but rainless day.

    Synonyms:
    overcast, gloomy, shadowy, lowering, murky, hazy
  3. of or like a cloud or clouds; pertaining to clouds.

  4. having cloudlike markings.

    cloudy marble.

  5. not clear or transparent; murky.

    He could not see through the cloudy liquid.

    Synonyms:
    opaque, turbid, muddy
  6. obscure; indistinct.

    Synonyms:
    hazy, fuzzy, dim
  7. darkened by gloom, trouble, etc.

    Synonyms:
    lowering, gloomy
  8. under suspicion, disgrace, etc..

    a gambler with a cloudy reputation.


cloudy British  
/ ˈklaʊdɪ /

adjective

  1. covered with cloud or clouds

  2. of or like a cloud or clouds

  3. streaked or mottled like a cloud

  4. opaque or muddy

  5. obscure or unclear

  6. troubled by gloom or depression

    his face had a cloudy expression

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived 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.

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