black 1 of 3

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as in ebony
having the color of soot or coal we adopted a little black kitten

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in brunette
not having a light complexion a black Irishman, Tyrone Power had the classic looks of a Hollywood leading man

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black

2 of 3

noun

black

3 of 3

verb

chiefly British

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 black
Adjective
Decker is described as 5 feet, 8 inches, tall and 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 6 June 2025 Soldiers from the caisson detachment in blue jeans, black shirts and white cowboy hats mucked out stalls. Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Noun
Take your pick from black to mocha to crisp, winter white. Taylor Jean Stephan, Peoplemag, 31 Jan. 2023 Flaunt this fun, floral style, or opt for their best-selling classic black. Meg Donohue, Town & Country, 31 Jan. 2023 See All Example Sentences for black
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black
Adjective
  • In the study, meanwhile, dark-hued walls and ebony wood are accented by abstract, colorful art.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 May 2025
  • Dating back roughly 1,500 years, the artifacts are carved from rare ebony wood that originated in India or Sri Lanka.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • My challenge was to make the sequel scarier, and darker.
    Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Executive Chef Graham House and Chef de Cuisine Graham House of Luminosa in Asheville, NC, recommend using a whole roast chicken, both dark and white meat, but placing half of it in the food processor before hand shredding the remaining bits for texture.
    Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.
    Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2022
  • There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.
    Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2022
Noun
  • Through the capsule’s large panoramic windows, the crew will see the planet's curvature and the stark contrast between the bright blue atmosphere and the blackness of space.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 May 2025
  • The 40-second clip shows the Kuiper satellites separating from their launch vehicle in the blackness of space following liftoff Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • As many Harry Potter fans boycott the new HBO series over J.K. Rowling‘s aggressive anti-transgender stance, the author is getting her loyalists hyped for the show.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 June 2025
  • Cornyn and Schmitt rolled out their accusations against the former president and his inner circle to a mostly empty room after most Democrats on the panel boycotted the hearing.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Finish with artful desserts by Pastry Chef Salvatore Martone, including a strawberry chantilly rose with pistachio sable and a silky white chocolate sabayon with salted caramel.
    Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Disney World: Both Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon will be open this summer Cast members monitored Tucker’s actions with other savanna residents such as zebras, sable antelopes and springbok.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Fort Erie bursts with American tourists in the summertime, but today is empty on a gray May morning.
    Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2025
  • In the video, the woman, who is wrapped in a gray blanket, is being questioned in a holding facility in Pullman, Washington, in connection with an unrelated incident.
    Kayna Whitworth, ABC News, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • Elements of her can be found on Lioness in Zoe Saldaña’s Joe McNamara, a CIA operative trying to save the world from the swarthy — terrorists in Season One, Mexican cartels in Season Two — while raising two girls.
    Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Jett Rink was a really malevolent varmint, and kind of swarthy and dark.
    Jeff Conway, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Black.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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