easy
The empty field looked bleak.
What does Bleak mean?
Bleak means gloomy, cold, or not hopeful.
Dictionary definition
Cold, empty, gloomy, or not hopeful in mood or appearance.
Example sentences
Bleak in a sentence
medium
The news gave the team a bleak outlook.
hard
The writer used a bleak setting to create a lonely mood.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Bleak
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does bleak mean?
Bleak means gloomy, cold, or not hopeful.
Practice 2
Which word or phrase is closest in meaning to bleak?
Gloomy is closest because it connects to this meaning: Bleak means gloomy, cold, or not hopeful.
Practice 3
Which word or phrase is a useful contrast to bleak?
Cheerful is a useful contrast because bleak means: Bleak means gloomy, cold, or not hopeful.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
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Bleak
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WordBleak.
Partadjective.
MeaningBleak means gloomy, cold, or not hopeful.
ExampleExample: The empty field looked bleak.
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Synonyms
Words like Bleak
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice bleak synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The abandoned cabin looked bleak in the winter field," then compare close word choices. Practice bleak synonyms.
Word family
Bleak word family
Base word
bleak
adjective
bleaker
More bleak.
adjective
bleakest
Most bleak.
noun
bleakness
The quality of being bleak.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Bleak
Hint for students
Bleak means gloomy, cold, or not hopeful.
Common mix-up
Bleak does not always mean gloomy. In some sentences, it means cold or not hopeful.
Try it in class or at home
Write two short sentences that use bleak in different ways. Underline the clue words that show which meaning is being used. Example: The news gave the team a bleak outlook. Clue words: news, team, outlook. Ask: Which meaning of bleak does my sentence show?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to compare meanings of bleak in this model sentence: "The news gave the team a bleak outlook." Which meaning fits, and what context clues prove it?
Learning activities
Practice Bleak and explore more word games
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Sentence Builder
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