haze

¹ American  

[hayz] / heɪz /

noun

• hazes
  plural

1. an aggregation in the atmosphere of very fine, widely dispersed, solid or liquid particles, or both, giving the air an opalescent appearance that subdues colors.

2. vagueness or obscurity, as of the mind or perception; confused or vague thoughts, feelings, etc..

   The victims were still in a haze and couldn't describe the accident.

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verb (used with or without object)

hazed, hazing

1. to make or become hazy.

haze ² American  

[hayz] / heɪz /

verb (used with object)

hazed, hazing

1. to subject (freshmen, newcomers, etc.) to abusive or humiliating tricks and ridicule.

2. Chiefly Nautical. to harass with unnecessary or disagreeable tasks.

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haze ¹ British  

/ heɪz /

noun

1. meteorol

   1. reduced visibility in the air as a result of condensed water vapour, dust, etc, in the atmosphere

   2. the moisture or dust causing this

2. obscurity of perception, feeling, etc

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verb

1. to make or become hazy

haze ² British  

/ heɪz /

verb

1. to subject (fellow students) to ridicule or abuse

2. nautical to harass with humiliating tasks

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haze Idioms  

1. see in a fog (haze).

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Usage

What else does haze mean? Haze is a noun or adjective referring to a type of LSD (acid) or marijuana ... typically purple haze. Hazing, on the other hand, is an initiation ritual where people are subjected to all kinds of cruel and unusual tasks or humiliations.

Synonym Usage

See cloud.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hazer
  noun
• hazeless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hazes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of haze¹

First recorded in 1700–10; perhaps noun use of unattested Middle English hase; Old English hasu, variant of haswa “ashen, dusky”; see hazy, hare

Origin of haze²

First recorded in 1670–80, haze is from the Middle French word haser to irritate, annoy

Explanation

Haze is the fog or mist that's caused by small particles in the air. There is often a haze hovering over the city of Los Angeles. Although the noun haze can describe any kind of misty or slightly obscured air, it usually refers to visible air pollution, rather than just fog. You can also talk about being in a haze when you're confused or disoriented. When you hear haze being used as a verb, it usually means to torment a new, young recruit to a club, team, or group — the way fraternity brothers sometimes haze a new member, forcing him to perform humiliating or dangerous actions.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

haze hazes hazed hazing

This year, however, the fires and haze have been turbocharged by a so-called "Godzilla" El Nino, which has fuelled extremely dry conditions.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

He reflects on the many patients he has helped navigate the advancing haze.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

The haze has reached as far as parts of the Philippines, where local officials have urged residents to stay indoors as much as possible, and Singapore, where authorities have begun issuing daily haze advisories.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

Cregger wrote Weapons not to capitalize on that modest triumph, but in a haze of grief over the sudden death of Moore, who fell off a balcony in 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

When she brandished the stick, however, a spinning haze of brilliant dots flooded up before her eyes.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich

"What we have always seen as blurred hazes in Jupiter's atmosphere now appear as crisp features that we can track along with the planet's fast rotation."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2023

Those hazes then venture into the dayside, and are vaporized in the heat.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 20, 2023

In near-infrared imaging, high-altitude hazes typically appear blurry, with enhanced brightness over the equatorial region.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2023

The dark spot is likely he result of mixing hazes and ices.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2023

Before them, as they turned west, gentle slopes ran down into dim hazes far below.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Equally normal, as far as Perales was concerned, was a Detroit skyline hazed by the fume-spewing Marathon petroleum refinery.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 22, 2023

“I think these players have the right to be respected and valued and not hazed, intimidated and retaliated.”

From Washington Times ● Jul. 19, 2023

Colum McCann, Benjamin Kunkel, Prince Charles and Jean-Michel Basquiat were also hazed for moments of preposterousness.

From New York Times ● May 22, 2023

“Willingness has nothing to do with being hazed, you can be willing and be hazed,” said the father.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2021

The air around Nailer was hazed with the black work of shoreline smelters, but out there, beyond the smoke, he could see sails.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

That is why preventing hazing requires more than prohibiting particular behavior or responding after the fact.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Longtime Bush friend Clay Johnson recalls that Bush revealed nascent political skill during fraternity hazing at Yale.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

The kitchen scenes are a combo platter of boot camp, frat house hazing ritual and kung fu movie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

But the objects of his hazing are publicly unfazed.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026

Sometimes I think high school is one long hazing activity: if you are tough enough to survive this, they’ll let you become an adult.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson