Vastny Languages editorial team
Cloudy, overcast, foggy, and misty: what's the difference?
Cloudy and overcast describe clouds in the sky; overcast means the sky is covered. Foggy and misty describe water droplets near the ground that affect visibility, with mist usually lighter than fog.
Cloudy and overcast describe clouds in the sky; overcast means the sky is covered. Foggy and misty describe water droplets near the ground that affect visibility, with mist usually lighter than fog.
Which word fits here?
Use cloudy when there are many clouds; parts of the sky may still be clear.
Use overcast when cloud covers the sky, often making it uniformly grey.
Use foggy when dense droplets near the ground reduce visibility.
Use misty for lighter mist that softens the view; it usually suggests less dense conditions than foggy.
How to choose a word
Use cloudy when there are many clouds; parts of the sky may still be clear.
Use overcast when cloud covers the sky, often making it uniformly grey.
Use foggy when dense droplets near the ground reduce visibility.
Use misty for lighter mist that softens the view; it usually suggests less dense conditions than foggy.
Word by word
cloudy
Use cloudy when there are many clouds; parts of the sky may still be clear.
It was cloudy, but it didn't rain.
The forecast says it will be mostly cloudy tomorrow.
overcast
Use overcast when cloud covers the sky, often making it uniformly grey.
The sky was overcast, so we didn't see the sunset.
The forecast says it will remain overcast all afternoon.
foggy
Use foggy when dense droplets near the ground reduce visibility.
It was foggy this morning; I could hardly see the road.
Flights were delayed because of foggy conditions.
misty
Use misty for lighter mist that softens the view; it usually suggests less dense conditions than foggy.
The valley was misty at dawn.
We walked along the misty coastline.
