trüb

Trüb is a German adjective meaning dull, cloudy, or turbid. It describes something lacking clarity, such as liquids, air, light, or color, and can also convey a mood or atmosphere that feels bleak or gloomy. Common physical uses include trübes Wasser (turbid water), trübe Luft (murky air), and trübes Licht (dull light). Metaphorically, trüb appears in phrases like eine trübe Stimmung haben or die Aussichten sind trüb, referring to a somber mood or poor prospects.

In grammar, the comparative form is trüber and the superlative form is am trübsten. The word belongs to standard German vocabulary and appears across everyday speech as well as in journalism and literature when describing quality, visibility, or emotional tone.

In scientific and environmental contexts, the noun Trübung denotes turbidity, the measure of how cloudy a liquid is due to suspended particles. This usage is common in water quality assessments, rainfall and sediment studies, and other analyses of transparent media.

Trüb contrasts with klar, meaning clear, and with hell, bright, in contexts describing transparency and brightness. Its nuance ranges from a simple lack of transparency to a deeper sense of dullness in appearance or mood, making it a flexible descriptor in both factual reporting and expressive writing.