1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
it was a drear morning in January when I went to take my driving test
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
causing unhappiness
a barren and drear existence in a remote village
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in moroseness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drear
Adjective
-
But bleak and uncertain as things seem right now, Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred does not want to lose Tampa Bay, the No. 11 media market, which is why the hope is for a deep pocket owner (or owners) from Tampa to emerge and the Tampa stadium plan near Ybor City can be revived.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2025 -
Suicide is pretty bleak for a Super Bowl spot, and mental health, in general, is a sensitive topic.—
Matthew Pittman,
The Conversation,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Myriad other parties this week included soirees hosted by GQ, which may or may not still publish a magazine, and Sports Illustrated, which cut its once-stellar staff to the bone and became a sad shell of its former self but evidently can still afford to throw a Super Bowl party.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2025
-
That history stems from many things, but our sad legacy is behind us.—
Chris Brewster,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But for people who are older and severely lonely, having an appointment to see their doctor might be their only social interaction that day.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
-
In a recent Harvard University study, every fifth American reported feeling lonely, and that number is even higher among young adults and seniors.—
John Hewko,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Whether the Nationals pitching staff can hold up, healthy and effective in an incredibly difficult division, is another pressing question — with a depressing answer: probably not — but at least the bats will be worth watching.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
The Athletic,
12 Feb. 2025
-
Listen to this article Super Bowl parties are on the rise this year thanks to the need to decompress from a most depressing start to 2025, along with the rising cost of packages at bars and restaurants.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The new WalletHub survey finds growing ennui among bank customers.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA TODAY,
22 Jan. 2025
-
The film, despite grossing just under $5 million in the U.S. against a $9 million budget, later became of a cult classic that was synonymous with the melancholic realization that teenage longing and ennui can extend into adulthood.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
From Walgreens and Red Lobster to Big Lots and Family Dollar, hundreds of retail locations went dark as part of an ongoing, years-long trend oft attributed to the ongoing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of online shopping.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Without robust funding, some labs will simply go dark.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
In a bravura theatrical performance, Hawke makes the genius truly pathetic.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Blonsky imbues the lead character of Tracy Turnblad, who could be a pathetic figure in lesser hands, with enough vitality to make the whole film feel fresh, even close to two decades after its release.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Needless to say, these navies have spent decades and millions of dollars studying the effects of this isolation with an eye to keeping the crews at peak efficiency and mental health in an environment that combines tedium and great stress.—
David Szondy,
New Atlas,
21 Dec. 2024
-
The educational tedium of Epcot was in a way the most agonizing: the six-minute Journey into Imagination, the fifteen-minute Spaceship Earth, the twenty-minute Living with the Land, and especially Ellen’s Energy Adventure, a forty-five-minute ordeal starring Ellen Degeneres and Bill Nye.—
Darryn King,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thesaurus Entries Near drear
Cite this Entry
“Drear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drear. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share