bleak

¹

[bleek]

adjective

bleaker, bleakest 

1. bare, desolate, and often windswept.

   a bleak plain.

2. cold and piercing; raw.

   a bleak wind.

3. without hope or encouragement; depressing; dreary.

   a bleak future.

bleak

²

[bleek]

noun

1. a European freshwater fish, Alburnus alburnus, having scales with a silvery pigment that is used in the production of artificial pearls.

bleak

¹

/ bliːk /

adjective

1. exposed and barren; desolate

2. cold and raw

3. offering little hope or excitement; dismal

   a bleak future

bleak

²

/ bliːk /

noun

1. any slender silvery European cyprinid fish of the genus Alburnus , esp A. lucidus , occurring in slow-flowing rivers

Other Word Forms

• bleakly adverb
• bleakness noun
• bleakish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bleak¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bleke “pale,” blend of variants bleche ( Old English blǣc ) and blake ( Old English blāc ); both cognate with Old Norse bleikr, German bleich; akin to bleach

Origin of bleak²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bleke, noun use of bleke “pale”; bleak ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bleak¹

Old English blāc bright, pale; related to Old Norse bleikr white, Old High German bleih pale

Origin of bleak²

C15: probably from Old Norse bleikja white colour; related to Old High German bleiche _bleach

Synonym Study

See austere.

Example Sentences

In a world that often feels bleak, and where domestic pleasures are increasingly dismissed as “trad-wifery,” it’s heartening to see one of the most powerful women in the world kneading a rainbow-speckled funfetti loaf.

From Salon

A customarily bleak Aronofsky movie would be all too appropriate for this era, when doom has never felt more pervasive.

From Salon

The outlook for Bayrou and his fragile government looks bleak, because they do not have sufficient support in the National Assembly.

From BBC

He tried to put on a brave face, though he knew from his own near-death experiences with the Taliban that the situation was increasingly bleak.

From Salon

And the key was finding someone to be the leader of a bleak endeavor who was a decent person and could boost morale.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• black 
• cheerless 
• dark 
• dismal 
• grim 
• hopeless 
• sad