blacken

1 of 2

verb

black·​en ˈbla-kən How to pronounce blacken (audio)
blackened; blackening
ˈblak-niŋ, 
ˈbla-kə- How to pronounce blacken (audio)
Synonyms of blackennext

intransitive verb

: to become dark or black
the sky blackens

transitive verb

1
: to make black
2
: defame, sully
blackened her reputation
blackener
ˈblak-nər, 
ˈbla-kə- How to pronounce blacken (audio)
noun

blackener

2 of 2

noun

black·​en·​er ˈblak-nər How to pronounce blackener (audio)
ˈbla-kə-
plural -s
: a leather worker that brushes blackening compound onto the grain side of tanned hides

called also blacker

Synonyms of blacken

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of blacken in a Sentence

Verb Fire had blackened the field. The sky blackened as the storm approached. Their false accusations failed to blacken my reputation. a presidency blackened by scandal
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
His eye was blackened for a long time, and a tooth was shattered. — Alan Gionet, CBS News, 29 May 2026 Leaves and buds that are bitten by frost will blacken and shrivel, sometimes all over the plant. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 June 2026 The shrimp basket at B&J's Steak and Seafood includes a half pound of shrimp fried, grilled, blackened or boiled. — Bill Dawers - For The Ajc, AJC.com, 2 June 2026 The kernels should develop dark golden spots without becoming overly blackened. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for blacken

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English blaknen, blakenen, from blak black entry 1 + -n, -en -en entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of blacken was in the 14th century

Rhymes for blacken

See All Rhymes for blacken

Browse Nearby Words

black elderberry
blacken
black end
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blacken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blacken. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

blacken

verb
black·​en ˈblak-ən How to pronounce blacken (audio)
blackened; blackening ˈblak-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce blacken (audio)
1
: to make or become dark or black
2
: to hurt the reputation of
blackener
-(ə-)nər How to pronounce blacken (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on blacken

Nglish: Translation of blacken for Spanish Speakers

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