1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darken
Today, the skies seem to be darkening once again.
—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
One brush fire from the summer storm then split into two, and the raging flames sent plumes of black smoke upward, darkening the skies for miles and fouling the air.
—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
And, if conditions are right, an early viewing of the northern lights may make an appearance since August is when Iceland’s skies typically begin to darken.
—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for darken
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
One brush fire from the summer storm then split into two, and the raging flames sent plumes of black smoke upward, darkening the skies for miles and fouling the air.
—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
And, if conditions are right, an early viewing of the northern lights may make an appearance since August is when Iceland’s skies typically begin to darken.
—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
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The upstairs neighbors would like to go to sleep somewhere between 9 at night and midnight, and so applause was frowned upon at the Gaslight.
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Oftentimes, disabling security protections is frowned upon.
Verb
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But rental business owners like Zhao observed that the rental prices have begun to slide as novelty surrounding these stunt-performing androids fades.
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The combination of hyaluronic and azelaic acid does wonders to fade dark spots, soothe redness, and deeply hydrate.
Verb
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The irony is a bit hard to ignore — the very environment being modified to protect or maintain beaches was simultaneously obscuring the ecological processes happening just offshore.
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And what’s a novelist but a fence, furnishing imaginary scenes with choice pieces of reality while obscuring their provenance?
Verb
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The World Cup group stage was marred for fans whose experiences mirrored Ramroop’s, leading FIFA and third-party platforms like StubHub to point fingers at each other amid the fallout.
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His previous loan at Girona was marred by injuries, impacting his World Cup aspirations.
Verb
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Now, yes, staring at the ceiling long enough to draw you a diagram of the paint peeling.
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In Taiwan, a student sitting for an entrance exam for a top medical school was discovered wearing smart glasses after proctors noticed the student staring oddly at the test, leading to an inspection that revealed the frame was emitting heat.
Verb
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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.
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Its hours are from dawn to dusk every day of the year.
Verb
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As Americans live longer and spend more years managing chronic illness, cognitive decline and complex healthcare needs, the traditional boundaries between estate planning, financial planning and healthcare planning are beginning to blur.
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Coleman, himself a musician, has intentionally blurred the lines between brewing and performance.
Verb
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Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
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Against Australia in the last 16, Argentina were again labouring when faced with an inferior opponent, digging in and determined to spoil their World Cup dreams.
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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