haze

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a state of being confused or not being able to remember things clearly.

n. a state of mental obscurity, confusion, or lack of clarity in perception or memory.

“He woke up in a haze, unable to remember where he had parked his car.”

“The patient described living in a constant mental haze for weeks following the concussion, struggling to perform even basic cognitive tasks.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. the amount of cloudiness in a clear material like glass or plastic.

n. the degree of turbidity or lack of transparency in a substance, often measured as a percentage in manufacturing.

“The plastic screen had a slight haze that made it hard to read the text.”

“Engineers measured the haze of the new polymer to ensure it met the strict transparency requirements for optical lenses.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate American English · Informal

v. to force new members of a group to do difficult, silly, or unpleasant tasks as a test.

v. to subject newcomers to abusive, humiliating, or dangerous initiation rituals, particularly within fraternities or military units.

“The university has strict rules to stop older students who try to haze the freshmen.”

“Several members of the sports team were suspended after reports emerged that they had continued to haze new recruits despite the ban.”