bleary-eyed
Americanadjective
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having bleary eyes.
-
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.
While some industries like manufacturing and retail were less able to provide flexibility, others offered bleary-eyed fans later starts so they can catch up on sleep.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Eastern on July 20, bleary-eyed kids were rousted from their beds so they could tell their grandchildren they witnessed an epic event.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
By the time dinner was over, the last thing I wanted to do was return to the kitchen — which meant greeting the wreckage the next morning, bleary-eyed, just trying to make coffee.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025
So there he sat, parked and bleary-eyed, a young father getting his PhD in coaching, unsure whether to go inside and sleep or turn the truck around.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2025
The next morning, bleary-eyed and doubled over in pain, I call Esperanza.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
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.
