bleak result

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bleak result" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an outcome that is disappointing, grim, or lacking in hope. Example: "The study yielded a bleak result, indicating that the new treatment was ineffective."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In what is already known as "Black Friday", the Australia Council released its latest figures for multi-year funding, revealing the bleak result of years of cuts and bungled policy.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The otherwise bleak results were widely expected.

The New York Times

These bleak results show that commanders are not doing enough to root out abuse.

The New York Times

Rise of Glory puts you in the seat of an airplane for a dogfight, with strikingly realistic controls and graphics and similarly bleak results for your mistakes.

The New York Times - Tech

British Airways' bleak results confirm predictions of a dire outlook for the aviation industry coming notably from the international aviation body IATA, which says that 25 airlines worldwide have ceased operations since the start of this year.

The New York Times

In the race for Barack Obama's old Senate seat in Illinois, Mark Kirk, a moderate Republican, beat the troubled Democratic candidate, Alexi Giannoulias.Democrats' effort to control state capitols had bleak results, too, though there were some bright spots.

The Economist

Other surveys have found similarly bleak results for the GOP.

Huffington Post

A massive new study released today has shown similarly bleak results.

Vice

"The Latino Media Gap," a report released in June by Columbia University, the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, found similarly bleak results for Latino actors, even showing a trend toward less participation over time rather than more.

Huffington Post

Though the characters are faced with the bleak results of lifetimes of human mismanagement of the environment, Watkins writes them with humor and compassion within a world that is unflinchingly desperate.

Vice

My counter-to-conventional wisdeom take: Despite Tuesday's bleak results for Democrats, Barack Obama and the Democrats can both get a lot done to achieve their progressive agenda -- and to prevent the more Republican Congress from significantly rolling back his administration's major achievements in the first two years, including health care.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "bleak result", ensure the context clearly establishes the cause or situation leading to the negative outcome. For example, "The economic forecast predicted a bleak result for small businesses."

Common error

Avoid using "bleak result" in situations that are merely disappointing rather than genuinely dire. Using it for minor setbacks can diminish its impact when describing truly serious situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bleak result" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "bleak" modifies the noun "result". It describes the quality of the result, indicating it is negative or unfavorable. Ludwig AI confirms it is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bleak result" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase to describe a negative or unfavorable outcome. While Ludwig AI indicates that it's perfectly valid, its usage is relatively rare, with the majority of examples stemming from news and media sources. Alternative phrases, such as "dismal outcome" or "gloomy outcome", can offer slightly different nuances. When using "bleak result", be mindful of the context, reserving it for situations where the outcome is genuinely serious to maintain its impact. This avoids overusing the expression in more common, everyday situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dismal outcome

Replaces "result" with "outcome", emphasizing the end result in a negative way.

gloomy outcome

Substitutes "bleak" with "gloomy", highlighting a sense of darkness and despair in the outcome.

depressing consequence

Replaces both words, focusing on the disheartening effect of the consequence.

pessimistic conclusion

Shifts the focus to the negative outlook derived from the conclusion.

unfavorable outcome

Uses a more formal tone, indicating an undesirable result.

disappointing outcome

Emphasizes the feeling of letdown associated with the result.

grim consequence

Similar to bleak, but with a stronger emphasis on severity.

dire consequence

Highlights the extremely serious and urgent nature of the negative outcome.

negative result

A more general term for an undesirable outcome.

unpromising outcome

Focuses on the lack of potential or hope associated with the outcome.

FAQs

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

You can use "bleak result" to describe outcomes that are discouraging or without hope. For instance, "The experiment yielded a bleak result, showing no improvement with the new drug".

What's a good alternative to "bleak result"?

Alternatives include "dismal outcome", "gloomy outcome", or "negative result" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "bleak result" formal or informal?

"Bleak result" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it's often used in more serious or analytical discussions, like those found in news reports or academic papers.

When is it inappropriate to use "bleak result"?

It might be excessive to use "bleak result" for minor inconveniences or trivial matters. Reserve it for situations where the outcome is genuinely negative and significant.