bleak chance

USAGE SUMMARY

'bleak chance' is a perfectly valid phrase in written English.
It is often used to describe a situation which is perceived as having little to no hope of having a positive or successful outcome. For example, "The prisoner had a bleak chance of escape, given the tight security of the prison."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Yet, the research to prevent and cure the debilitating variations of cancer is often underfunded, leaving patients with limited treatment options and a bleak chance of survival.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It resulted in an unintended and undetected projection error that may have contributed to the perception of Truman's bleak chances.

Wikipedia

FoLast weekdinh Hoffman on Tijuana.

Vice

What will the Chinese authorities do if thousands of athletes are wearing "illegal" Dalai Lama badges?It is easy to forget how bleak the chances of restoring Baltic independence seemed only 25 years ago.

The Economist

The victory was the Yankees' fourth straight, and the surge has given their once-bleak playoff chances a jolt of life.

The New York Times - Sports

Passage would give thousands of undocumented men and women, who otherwise face very bleak futures, a chance to step out of the shadows and become taxpayers and citizens of the only country they have really ever known.

The New York Times

Géreb is bleak about her chances of a presidential reprieve.

The Guardian

They refuse to look at the steep odds and call their chances bleak.

The New York Times

In what could be seen as a measure of how bleak Mr. Simon's chances seem to be, his advisers said they did not expect to see the president in California again before Election Day.

The New York Times

The green areas are bleak and forbidding, the chance consequences of piecemeal demolition that has been proceeding for years.

The Economist

He was admitted to hospital for tests, which revealed leukaemia and a bleak prognosis: a 60/40 chance of survival.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "bleak chance", ensure the context clearly establishes the reasons for the pessimistic outlook. Provide specific details or supporting information to justify the assessment.

Common error

Avoid using "bleak chance" in situations where the outcome is uncertain rather than definitively negative. This phrase is best reserved for scenarios with demonstrably low probabilities of success.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bleak chance" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "bleak" modifies the noun "chance". It describes the quality of the chance, indicating a low probability of success or a negative outcome, which is confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "bleak chance" is used to describe a situation where there is minimal hope or possibility of a positive outcome. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and indicates its primary function as an adjective modifying a noun to express pessimism. Although not exceedingly common, the phrase appears consistently in news and media sources, signaling a neutral register. For situations requiring alternative expressions, phrases like "slim hope" or "remote possibility" can be used to similar effect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slim hope

Replaces "chance" with "hope" and "bleak" with "slim", indicating a small possibility.

meager hope

Similar to "slim hope", but uses "meager" to emphasize the small amount of hope.

remote possibility

Substitutes "chance" with "possibility" and "bleak" with "remote", suggesting a low likelihood.

little prospect

Replaces "chance" with "prospect" and "bleak" with "little", highlighting a negative outlook.

poor odds

Uses the idiom "odds" to express probability, with "poor" mirroring the negativity of "bleak".

slightest chance

Uses a superlative to emphasize how small the chance is, still conveying a low probability.

unlikely outcome

Focuses on the result using "outcome", described as "unlikely" instead of "bleak".

dim outlook

Replaces "chance" with "outlook" and "bleak" with "dim", painting a pessimistic future.

negligible probability

Employs more formal terms "probability" and "negligible" to convey a very low chance.

minimal expectation

Focuses on expectation instead of chance, describing it as "minimal" to reflect a pessimistic view.

FAQs

How can I use "bleak chance" in a sentence?

You can use "bleak chance" to describe a situation where the possibility of a positive outcome is very low, like "The patient has a "bleak chance" of recovery without surgery".

What are some alternatives to "bleak chance"?

Some alternatives include "slim hope", "remote possibility", or "poor odds", which all suggest a low likelihood of success.

Is it more appropriate to say "bleak chance" or "slim chance"?

"Bleak chance" and "slim chance" are both valid, but "bleak chance" emphasizes a more pessimistic outlook, while "slim chance" simply indicates a small possibility.

Can "bleak chance" be used in a positive context?

No, "bleak" inherently carries a negative connotation. Therefore, "bleak chance" is always used to describe a situation with a negative or unfavorable outlook. If you are trying to portray a possibility with positive outcome you shouldn't use it.