How to Use darken in a Sentence

darken

verb
  • The wood will darken as it ages.
  • The bad news darkened his mood.
  • The sky darkened and it started to rain.
  • The last days of her life were darkened by illness.
  • His mood darkened after he heard the bad news.
  • Her face darkens to a deep red when she gets angry.
  • The cake will darken up quite a bit on top.
    — Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
  • But that fall, his mood darkened.
    — Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
  • One small cloud that darkens your day doesn't mean the sun hasn't risen.
    — Magi Helena, oregonlive, 27 Dec. 2019
  • The wood had darkened with age and the paint was flaking off.
    — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 28 June 2018
  • In Clip 2, the mood has darkened.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
  • But just as the meeting was about to wrap up, the mood darkened.
    — Rebecca Ramirez, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Smoke from the fire could be seen from miles away, darkening the sky.
    — CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The rooms are darkened, and there’s space for parents to stay overnight.
    — Matthew Casey, The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2024
  • But then the bakery door darkened.
    — David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • As the sky darkens, the wind picks up, and the cries of the seagulls lessen.
    — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Brown spots will darken at first and then slough off over the course of four to seven days.
    — Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Sep. 2019
  • That increased blood flow can cause the labia to darken and even cause a slight change in shape.
    — Kristi Kellogg, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2019
  • There’s goodness left, even as the world tilts and darkens, and some of it lives in you.
    — Claire Comstock-Gay, The Cut, 26 June 2017
  • Bake for 17 minutes to form the crust, which will darken a bit.
    — Cathy Barrow, idahostatesman, 2 Nov. 2017
  • As the sky darkened and flames swept down the hill, a tree branch hit Sheffield in the leg.
    — Miguel Almaguer, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2023
  • Pass the flame over the weed until the foliage darkens.
    — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 16 May 2026
  • As the skies darkened, 11 bird species sang more than usual.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The cabin is darkened and overhead lights can be seen swirling through the smoke.
    — Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 9 May 2018
  • The picture won't darken much, but the highlights may be a bit blown out.
    — Whitson Gordon, Wired, 25 Dec. 2020
  • Today, the skies seem to be darkening once again.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 June 2026
  • Ndlovu’s father gripped the steering wheel as the sun set and the sky darkened.
    — Tracey Lindeman, WIRED, 19 Aug. 2023
  • The cocoa used to darken half of the dough doesn’t make your bread taste chocolatey.
    — Kim Ode, The Seattle Times, 15 May 2017
  • Where the arena will darken, then lights shine down on the mat, the two wrestlers alone with nowhere to hide.
    — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2023
  • Bake 10 minutes; the crust will darken.
    — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'darken.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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