WordGarden.iobleak
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /blˈiːk/
US
- /ˈblik/
Meanings
Adjective
cold, bare, and depressing, especially of weather, scenery, or surroundings
offering little hope or encouragement; grimly unpromising
Beyond the definition
Imagine a winter landscape stripped bare by the wind—grey skies, frozen ground, and no sign of life. That's bleak. It describes something that feels cold, empty, and hopeless. A bleak outlook isn't always about the weather; it can be a feeling about the future or a description of a place lacking comfort or joy. Think of a deserted town with boarded-up windows—utterly bleak. Charles Dickens often used "bleak" to describe the harsh realities faced by his characters, such as the cold, unforgiving workhouses of Victorian England. A bleak situation is one where things look grim and there is little hope for improvement. Imagine a winter landscape stripped bare by the wind—grey skies, frozen ground, and no sign of life. That's bleak. It describes something that feels cold, empty, and hopeless. A bleak outlook isn't always about the weather; it can be a feeling about the future or a description of a place lacking comfort or joy. Think of a deserted town with boarded-up windows—utterly bleak. In literature and journalism, writers use bleak to describe harsh realities and futures that seem stripped of hope. A bleak situation is one where things look grim and there is little hope for improvement.
The word bleak evokes a sense of emptiness, desolation, and profound hopelessness. It goes beyond simply being sad; it suggests a harshness that chills you to the bone. Originally, "bleak" described exposed, windswept land—think of barren hills or open plains where there is no shelter from the elements. This physical image has expanded over time to describe emotional states and situational prospects.
You might describe a bleak landscape as one devoid of color or life, like a snow-covered field under a leaden sky: "The moor was bleak and unforgiving." However, you can also use it to describe someone's outlook on life: "After losing his job, he had a bleak view of the future." A bleak assessment is a pessimistic one, suggesting that the path ahead is difficult and unrewarding.
In literature, bleak often sets a mood of despair or foreboding. Think of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, where the wild and desolate moors contribute to the novel's overall bleak atmosphere. It can also describe a physical space lacking in warmth or human comfort: "The hospital room was cold and bleak." Whether describing a physical environment, an emotional state, or a pessimistic prediction, bleak paints a picture of emptiness and a lack of hope. It is a word that carries a heavy weight, suggesting something profoundly discouraging.
Examples
- 1
Cold landscape
We walked along a bleak stretch of coast in the cold wind.
- 2
Empty apartment
The apartment felt bleak after they took all the furniture out.
- 3
Likely outcome
Things looked bleak after the company lost its biggest customer.
- Phraselook bleak
seem likely to turn out badly
- 4
Job market
For young graduates, the job market can seem pretty bleak.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Negative forecast
The report paints a bleak picture of the town's future.
- Phrasepaint a bleak picture
describe something as very bad or hopeless
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- bleaknounadjective
Forms
- bleakercomparativeadjectivenoun
- bleakestsuperlativeadjectivenoun
- bleakspluralnounadjective