blur

UK: /ˈblɜː^r/ US: /blɝ/ ,(blûr)

Inflections of 'blur' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

blurs

v 3rd person singular

blurring

v pres p

blurred

v past

blurred

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

blur /blɜr/   v., blurred, blur•ring, n. 
v. 

1. to (cause to) become hard to see or hear: [no object]
   Her eyes blurred with tears. His speech blurred the more he drank.
   [~ + object]
   The fog blurred the outline of the car.
2. to make a dirty mark or smear on (something):
   [~ + object] She blurred the ink on the letter with her tears.
3. to dull or weaken (a distinction between things that should be separate):
   [~ + object] blurred the distinction between true reform and total destruction.

n. [countable* usually singular]

4. a smudge or smear that obscures:
   a blur of smoke.
5. something seen or remembered indistinctly:
   The ship was a blur on the horizon. Parts of the trip were just a blur.

blurred, adj.: 

old and blurred photos.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

blur  (blûr), v., blurred, blur•ring, n. 
v.t. 

1. to obscure or sully (something) by smearing or with a smeary substance:
   The windows were blurred with soot.
2. to obscure by making confused in form or outline; make indistinct:
   The fog blurred the outline of the car.
3. to dim the perception or susceptibility of;
   make dull or insensible:
   The blow on the head blurred his senses.

v.i. 

4. to become indistinct:
   Everything blurred as she ran.
5. to make blurs.

n. 

6. a smudge or smear that obscures:
   a blur of smoke.
7. a blurred condition;
   indistinctness:
   They could see nothing in the foggy blur.
8. something seen indistinctly:
   The ship appeared as a blur against the horizon.

• akin to blear 1540–50

blur•red•ly  (blûr′id lē, blûrd′-), adv.  blur′red•ness, n. 
blur′ring•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 2. cloud, dim, darken, veil, mask.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

blur / blɜː/ verb (blurs, blurring, blurred)

1. to make or become vague or less distinct: heat haze blurs the hills, education blurs class distinctions
2. to smear or smudge
3. (transitive) to make (the judgment, memory, or perception) less clear; dim

noun

1. something vague, hazy, or indistinct
2. a smear or smudge

Etymology: 16th Century: perhaps variant of blear

ˈblurred adjective

ˈblurry adjective