- reduced visibility in the air as a result of condensed water vapour, dust, etc, in the atmosphere
- obscurity of perception, feeling, etc
- when intr, often followed by over: to make or become hazy
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
haz•ing
(hā′zing),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- subjection to harassment or ridicule.
- haze2 + -ing1 1815–25
haze1 /heɪz/USA pronunciation
n., v., hazed, haz•ing.
n.
v. [no object]
haze2 /heɪz/USA pronunciation v. [~ + object], hazed, haz•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026n.
- Meteorologya mass or collection in the atmosphere of very fine, widely spread solid or liquid particles that give the air a milky white appearance: [countable; usually singular]a haze of smoke from his pipe.[uncountable]The mountain was barely visible through the haze.
- a confused state of mind;
daze:[countable* singular]After the accident the victims were still in a haze.
v. [no object]
- to become hazy:The sky hazed over.
haze2 /heɪz/USA pronunciation v. [~ + object], hazed, haz•ing.
- to force to perform pointless or humiliating tasks:college seniors hazing freshmen.
haze1
(hāz),USA pronunciation n., v., hazed, haz•ing. n.
v.t., v.i.
haze′less, adj.
haze2 (hāz),USA pronunciation v.t., hazed, haz•ing.
- Meteorologyan aggregation in the atmosphere of very fine, widely dispersed, solid or liquid particles, or both, giving the air an opalescent appearance that subdues colors.
- vagueness or obscurity, as of the mind or perception;
confused or vague thoughts, feelings, etc.:The victims were still in a haze and couldn't describe the accident.
v.t., v.i.
- to make or become hazy.
- 1700–10; perh. noun, nominal use of Middle English *hase; Old English hasu, variant of haswa ashen, dusky. See hazy, hare
- 2. See cloud.
haze2 (hāz),USA pronunciation v.t., hazed, haz•ing.
- to subject (freshmen, newcomers, etc.) to abusive or humiliating tricks and ridicule.
- [Chiefly Naut.]to harass with unnecessary or disagreeable tasks.
- Middle French haser to irritate, annoy
- 1670–80
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
haze /heɪz/ n
haze /heɪz/ vb (transitive)
- chiefly US Canadian to subject (fellow students) to ridicule or abuse
- to harass with humiliating tasks
'hazing' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):