as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a darkening sky that seemed to match our downcast spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frowning
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
to grow dark
the sky darkened as a storm moved in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscuring
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 marring
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 darkening
Michael Muchmore,
PC Magazine,
29 June 2026
Moonrise will take place across North America in blue hour, when the sky is darkening but still retains color — perfect timing.
—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Sweep sidewalks regularly to keep dirt and debris from building up and darkening the color.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 June 2026
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
Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity.
—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Its trio, a lonely fox-deer, an axolotl apprentice healer and a red panda Viking, travel through a darkening natural world as the series folds identity, belonging and environmental crisis.
—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Firefighters were on the street hosing down the burning stacks of e-bikes, the live stream showed, and fire trucks were making their way through showers of sparks from fireworks being lit in the darkening Paris skies.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
Auto-correct tools generally brighten photos, but this one also knows when an image needs darkening.
—
Michael Muchmore,
PC Magazine,
29 June 2026
Moonrise will take place across North America in blue hour, when the sky is darkening but still retains color — perfect timing.
—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Sweep sidewalks regularly to keep dirt and debris from building up and darkening the color.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 June 2026
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
Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity.
—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Its trio, a lonely fox-deer, an axolotl apprentice healer and a red panda Viking, travel through a darkening natural world as the series folds identity, belonging and environmental crisis.
—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Firefighters were on the street hosing down the burning stacks of e-bikes, the live stream showed, and fire trucks were making their way through showers of sparks from fireworks being lit in the darkening Paris skies.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkening
Adjective
-
The top-of-the-line chef’s kitchen sports metallic cabinetry paired with dark marble countertops and backsplashes.
-
These include rolled or folded leaf blades, a dark or blue tinge to the foliage, or lingering footprints after walking on the lawn.
Verb
-
This focuses readers on the all-black uniforms of the veiled pupils, who—in a long frame at the center of the page—sit between the looming, frowning teacher on the right and Marji on the left, who stands up to explain that her uncle was executed by the Islamic regime.
-
Woods, 50, is seen frowning in the photo, taken shortly after the legendary golfer was booked into jail on March 27 after his Land Rover rolled over in Jupiter Island, Florida.
Verb
-
More than a week after the disaster, search-and-rescue operations remain active, though hopes of finding additional survivors are rapidly fading.
-
Thousands remain missing more than a week after the twin earthquakes struck Venezuela and hope for finding survivors is fading into and effort to recover remains.
Verb
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Also, there are important players coming back from significant injuries, obscuring the picture.
-
The lens has a Ri-Pel coating that allows for water and sweat to bead up and slide off the surface, rather than obscuring vision.
Verb
-
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.
-
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.
Adjective
-
Houssem Aouar finally spied a gap in the Austrian defence and sent Mahrez through to score, sparking jubilation before Sasa Kalajdzic’s header confirmed a ridiculous ending to a game that was dramatic, bleak and then dramatic again.
-
Kehoe pointed to the state’s bleak finances in a statement explaining his cuts on Tuesday.
Verb
-
The banners of Hightower green burning in the night, Rhaenyra staring ominously through the flames.
-
Now, yes, staring at the ceiling long enough to draw you a diagram of the paint peeling.
Verb
-
And Hanceville’s fate is as murky as the fog that pours in at night, blotting out buildings and blackening the road ahead.
-
These tungsten atoms would then condense on the slightly cooler inside of the glass bulb, blackening it and dimming the light over time.
Cite this Entry
“Darkening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkening. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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