darkened; darkening
ˈdär-kə-niŋ 
1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened
1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
Examples of darken in a Sentence
Verb
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
Katie Vogel, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture darkens slightly, about 3 minutes.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 June 2026
Moisture creates ideal growing conditions, allowing algae colonies to expand and darken over time.
—Colleen Sullivan, Martha Stewart, 14 June 2026
About the same time the wild pigeons, which used to darken the sun with their flights, left here, never to return.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
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
Experts warn the vast basin, fed by the murky Tidal Basin and darkened by new paint that warms the water, may never stay algae-free without more drastic measures.
—Katie Vogel, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture darkens slightly, about 3 minutes.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 June 2026
Moisture creates ideal growing conditions, allowing algae colonies to expand and darken over time.
—Colleen Sullivan, Martha Stewart, 14 June 2026
About the same time the wild pigeons, which used to darken the sun with their flights, left here, never to return.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
darken
verb
dark·en
ˈdär-kən
darkened; darkening
ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
