What does clouded mean?
"Clouded" is an adjective describing something covered, darkened, or obscured — most literally a sky filled with clouds, and most often, in modern usage, a mind or judgment made unclear by strong emotion such as anger, fear, or grief. To say someone's judgment is clouded is to suggest that feeling has blunted their usual clarity of thought, making the word a staple of both everyday speech and literary prose. It can also describe physical dimming, as in clouded glass or eyes dulled by age or illness. The word derives from "cloud," which in Old English originally meant a mass of rock or hill before shifting to mean a visible mass of vapor. A memorable bearer of the name is the clouded leopard, a striking Asian wildcat whose fur bears large, cloud-shaped markings. Whether describing weather, thought, or vision, "clouded" conveys a loss of clarity that is usually temporary.
Covered or obscured by clouds; made unclear, muddled, or darkened.
"The summit disappeared behind a clouded sky."
Frequently used figuratively of minds and judgment.
Past tense and past participle of "cloud": to cover with clouds or make unclear.
"Tears clouded her vision as she read the letter."
The clouded leopard isn't named for living in clouds — its coat is patterned with large blotches that look exactly like clouds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clouded
"Clouded" comes from "cloud," which traces back to Old English "clūd," originally meaning a mass of rock or hill, before the sense shifted to a visible mass of water vapor in the sky. The adjective form developed in Middle English as the verb "to cloud" took on both literal and figurative meanings. A distant relative is "clod," which preserves something closer to the original Old English sense of a lump of earth or rock.
Related word forms
How clouded is actually used
Most common in figurative use describing minds, memories, or judgments darkened by emotion; literal use typically describes skies or weather.
Easily confused with clouded
"Crowded" means filled with people or things, while "clouded" means covered by clouds or made unclear.