dreich

adjective

ˈdrēḵ How to pronounce dreich (audio)
Definition of dreichnext
chiefly Scottish
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer historically regarded as a dreich corner of Britain, Scotland's very name comes from the Greek word for "dark"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreich
  1. bleak
  2. dark
  3. depressing
  4. lonely
  5. somber
  6. depressive
  7. desolate
  8. cold
Adjective
  • Although the news may be bleak for the dinner's thousands of supporters, the committee also shared a glimmer of hope.
    — Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In many ways, her life feels like a bleak look at the false promise of placing all of your need for validation in your husband.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • On top of the moving-camera-foamy-dark-mouth challenge, there was the plaque challenge.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Finley’s breakout was the 2017 dark comedy Thoroughbreds, in which Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy play high-schoolers conspiring to kill an abusive stepfather.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Climate change, depressing and overwhelming, falls into that category.
    — Peter Prengaman, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Keegan’s first decision at Newcastle as manager in 1992 was to fumigate the depressing training ground.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • If, as Jimmy Connors has said, tennis is boxing at ninety feet—a lonely battle of wills that punishes the slightest lapse in concentration—Eala’s southpaw forehand drives resemble Pacquiao’s blazing left hooks.
    — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Many become lonelier and less equipped to navigate conflict, disappointment, and repair elsewhere.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • Davis was much more somber, and his attorney, Wayne Higgins, is heard frequently admonishing his client for volunteering unnecessary information.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Bookended by drone shots of the Macedonian countryside and a somber cello refrain by Novogradska, this 86-minute doc is otherwise composed of scoreless interviews with subjects seated in front of black curtains and captured in medium range.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs such as Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft, target a range of depressive and anxiety disorders.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Up to a certain point, social media use didn't pop as a big predictor for depressive feelings.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • Miller was one of four young women whose bodies were found between 1984 and 1991 in a rural field off a desolate dirt road in League City, located about 28 miles (45 kilometers) southeast of Houston.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • To understand what a transitive graph is, imagine the graph as a network of roads on a flat, desolate landscape.
    — Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • The device also includes instant hot and cold under-eye contrast therapy, designed to combine clinical benefits with a spa-like feel.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Isaacson’s 2023 book left a lot of reviewers cold with its lack of criticism but still sold a gazillion copies.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of cold
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.

Browse Nearby Words

dregs
dreich
drench
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dreich.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreich. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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