bleak

Universal Words adjective (bleaker, bleakest) 1 (of a situation) not hopeful or encouraging: a bleak outlook / prospect * The future looks bleak for the fishing industry. * The medical prognosis was bleak. * They faced a financially bleak Christmas. 2 (of the weather) cold and unpleasant: a bleak winter's day 3 (of a place) bare, empty or with no pleasant features: a bleak landscape / hillside / moor * bleak concrete housing bleakly adverb: 'There seems no hope,' she said bleakly. * bleakly lit corridors * It was a bleakly impressive coastline. bleakness noun [U]