darken

verb

ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
Definition of darkennext
1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news

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2
as in to fade
to grow dark the sky darkened as a storm moved in

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3
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen

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4
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of darken Cook until the sauce darkens and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026 These rosy reveries gradually darken as Wilde remembers succumbing to hedonism, deceit, debt, and disgrace. — Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 In its latest incarnation, designed by the firm S9, the curtain wall has darkened and the electronic billboards brightened, so that the tower resembles a TV mount, more apparatus than architecture. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026 Fellow activists accused her of having darkened her skin using makeup and fake tanner and adopting a Black American accent after returning from a stint in the Peace Corps in Rwanda. — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
  1. frown
  2. fade
  3. obscure
  4. mar
  5. stare
  6. dusk
  7. blur
  8. spoil
Verb
  • Most networks and major news organizations have social media policies that frown on overt partisanship.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Such behavior is typically frowned upon by most major news organizations, which want their reporters to be viewed as neutral chroniclers of the subjects and institutions to which they are assigned.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of frown
Verb
  • That terrible scenario that doesn't easily fade definitely caused everyone to believe Quinn was at it again on Monday night – messing up again, forgetting that the last play was fourth down instead of third down.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Yet, in the urban South, recent linguistic research finds that the drawl’s most salient features are starting to fade on the lips of young speakers.
    — Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of fade
Verb
  • But take a walk inside and the ground is laden with faint slabs of rock, gravestones from a centuries-old Indigenous family cemetery that had been obscured by the passage of time and neglect.
    — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
  • However, any potential signal is expected to be faint and can be obscured by cosmic variance, the statistical uncertainty that arises when observations cover only a finite portion of the universe.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • Mass protests in France are often marred by violence on the fringes of otherwise peaceful marches, leading to clashes with police.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There were also parts that were not as successful — mainly the parts marred by his physical unreadiness.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of mar
Verb
  • Nakira’s mug shot showed a young Black woman with dark hair gathered at the nape of her neck, green eyes staring intently into the camera.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Royals were out of the AL Central race by August and staring at another losing season.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stare
Verb
  • With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
  • The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers.
    — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026
Definition of dusk
Verb
  • Scientists have been able to measure quantum effects in larger and more complex systems and over great distances, blurring the line once thought to separate the scale of observer and observed.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The distinction between entertainment platforms and traditional media is becoming increasingly blurred.
    — Victoria Usher, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of blur
Verb
  • There has been no more satisfying slap in cinema this year than the one Erika lands on a smug German actor, leading to a wicked punchline that shouldn’t be spoiled.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Anthony Edwards hit nine 3-pointers and scored 45 points to join an elite club; LaMelo Ball scored 21 in his Minnesota debut, and the Timberwolves spoiled Giannis Antetokounmpo's first game with Miami by beating the Heat 131-106 on Wednesday night.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of spoil

Browse Nearby Words

dark ages
darken
darkened
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Cite this Entry

“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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