dawn 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dawnnext
1
as in sunrise
the first appearance of light in the morning or the time of its appearance we stayed up talking until dawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginning
the point at which something begins the dawn of civilization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dawn

2 of 2

verb

ˈdȯn How to pronounce dawn (audio)
as in to start
to come into existence a smile dawned on his face as he got the joke

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dawn
Noun
In the soft light of dawn, an Ohio tourist studied the interpretive sign at the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, reading about how magma formed the ground under her feet. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 The dawn of the internet taught us that openness without responsibility can become extraction, connection can deepen division, and freedom without care can concentrate power in the hands of a few. — Amelia Rose Barlow, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
The dawning potential of generative AI promises to radically change how movies and TV shows are made. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026 There’s both a lot and not much at all going on in Kamei’s life, which is complicated by his dawning friendship — and maybe something more — with an American military brat, Colin (West Mulholland, Presence). — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawn
  1. sunrise
  2. beginning
  3. start
  4. dawning
  5. inception
  6. begin
  7. day
  8. onset
Noun
  • But the bright moon is expected to set a few hours before sunrise, so sky watchers will have an optimal window to spot up to 20 meteors per hour.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Wellness experiences take place beyond the canvas-tent spa too, from sunrise yoga on the deck to sound journey meditation in the bush.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of sunrise
Noun
  • Expect some traffic back-ups at the beginning and end of the game as parking lots empty and drivers hit the road in what is a construction zone on highways running through downtown.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement At the beginning of May, separatists turned in a petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to push for a vote on leaving Canada, while opponents collected signatures in support of staying.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Charlotte has many more chances to right its wrongs, of course, starting with home games Saturday and Monday.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And one health care consultancy that finds doctors and mental health care for wealthy families charges retainers starting at $30,000 for 50 hours.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of start
Noun
  • The quiet moments, the grief, the slow dawning of realization that her husband had written this piece as a way of dealing with his grief and her anger.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Ever enterprising, Toha does eventually make her way back to the party, but there, the ultimate dawning of her place outside of Nelly’s circle is heartbreaking.
    — Alissa Simon, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of dawning
Noun
  • This happened despite the fact that calculations of orbital forcings, together with modeling of how carbon dioxide interferes with glacial inception, have suggested the next ice age was postponed by tens of thousands of years.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
  • That’s a wild thing to imagine, since the iPhone has had very few fundamental changes since its inception.
    — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of inception
Verb
  • By adjusting the distance between the tips, the team could stretch or compress the molecular structure, changing the voltage at which the current enhancement began.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • She eventually was promoted over to the ice cream machine—and began to grow fond of the adrenaline-like rush that can come with working in a restaurant.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of begin
Noun
  • The last polls before election day have given Eisenkot’s Yashar presumed coalition a lead of about two to six seats over Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, according to three of Israel’s main broadcasters.
    — Yarden Segev, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • This September 25 concert was Lui’s record release event for Instant Validation, which came out that same day via Asthmatic Kitty Records.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • There had been a temporary improvement but the onset of the Iran war has plunged the country back into crisis.
    — Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Much of these are solvable problems, if the right people are engaged to ensure that the community is involved from the onset.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of onset

Phrases Containing dawn

Browse Nearby Words

dawdling
dawn
dawned
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Cite this Entry

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

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dawn

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