darken

verb

dark·​en ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
darkened; darkening ˈdär-kə-niŋ How to pronounce darken (audio)
Synonyms of darkennext

intransitive verb

1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened

transitive verb

1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
3
: taint, tarnish
darkened his reputation
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
darkener
ˈdär-kə-nər How to pronounce darken (audio)
noun

Synonyms of darken

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Examples of darken in a Sentence

The sky darkened and it started to rain. Her face darkens to a deep red when she gets angry. The wood will darken as it ages. The bad news darkened his mood. The last days of her life were darkened by illness. His mood darkened after he heard the bad news.
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.
As larger, necessary conversations regarding race, genre, music and industry categorization subsumed her Blue Island press run, the album’s softer, relatively disappointing commercial returns further darkened the energy around the release. — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2026 Abdalla’s fall refresh enhances her brunette base by darkening her roots and replacing those golden ribbons with warm brunette tones for lived-in dimension. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2026 Instead, the surrounding sky darkens, increasing the contrast until the pale daytime moon seems to switch on at dusk and grow increasingly brilliant. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 His chubby forehead was creased, and a sort of hunted look darkened his eyes. — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darken

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

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

Phrases Containing darken

Rhymes for darken

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Browse Nearby Words

dark current
darken
darkener
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Cite this Entry

“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

darken

verb
dark·​en ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
darkened; darkening ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce darken (audio)
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
darkener
ˈdärk-(ə-)nər How to pronounce darken (audio)
noun
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