# blur

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈblɜː/ · frequency rank #13,867

## Definitions
1. To make indistinct or hazy, to obscure or dim.
2. To smear, stain or smudge.
3. To become indistinct.
4. To cause imperfection of vision in; to dim; to darken.
5. To sully; to stain; to blemish, as reputation.
6. To transfer the input focus away from.
7. To use a sign, image, expression, etc. sufficiently close to a trademarked one that it causes confusion between them.

## Etymology
From earlier blurre, probably an alteration of blear, from Middle English bleren, from Old English *blerian (attested in āblered (“made bare, made bald”)), from Proto-West Germanic *blaʀjan, from Proto-Germanic *blazjaną (“to make pale”), from Proto-Germanic *blasaz (“pale”). Compare Scots blore, bloar (“to blur, cover with blots”), Low German bleeroged (“blear-eyed”). More at blear.

## Easily confused with
- **br** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-br)
- **but** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-but)
- **buy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-buy)
- **bus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bus)
- **bug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bug)
- **bud** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bud)
- **bum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bum)
- **bun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bun)
- **BYU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-byu)
- **bor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bor)
- **bub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bub)
- **bur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bur)
- **bru** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bru)
- **BTU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-btu)
- **bly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bly)
- **Bui** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bui)
- **burn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-burn)
- **bout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bout)
- **bury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bury)
- **bruh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blur-vs-bruh)

## Common misspellings (6)
`bblur`, `bllur`, `blru`, `blurr`, `bulr`, `lbur`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/blur