Haze is a light fog or mist that makes the air look cloudy or unclear. On a hazy summer day, you might notice that distant mountains or buildings look fuzzy and washed out, as if someone smudged them with an eraser. The sky might appear whitish or grayish instead of clear blue.

Haze happens when tiny particles of dust, smoke, or moisture hang in the air. Sometimes it comes from natural causes like pollen or sea spray, but often it results from pollution or smoke from distant wildfires. Unlike regular fog, which feels damp and thick when you walk through it, haze is lighter and drier. You can usually see farther through haze than through fog, but everything looks softer and less distinct.

The word can also describe a confused or unclear state of mind. If you're in a haze after waking from a deep sleep, your thoughts feel foggy and slow. Someone might say they remember an exciting day only as a haze of activity, meaning the details blur together in their memory. Just as atmospheric haze obscures your view of the landscape, a mental haze obscures your clear thinking.