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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darken
Today, as a government shutdown darkens our national museums and the National Endowment for the Humanities is gutted, the danger is no longer a matter of rhetoric but of radical, systemic action.
—
Andrew Weinstein, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 24 Oct. 2025
But then the bakery door darkened.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Gradually, though, the prognosis darkened.
—Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Andrew Weinstein, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 24 Oct. 2025
But then the bakery door darkened.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Gradually, though, the prognosis darkened.
—Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
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And Carol is really taking to the task, grumpy throughout the two-minute trailer, while the world tries and fails to turn her frown upside down.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
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Brown continues to make backers frown.—
Brad Evans,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mankinlu Maple Leaf Solar Pathway Lights As daylight starts to fade earlier, these cute pathway lights add both charm and function to your yard.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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The Trail Blazers faded in the fourth quarter en route to a 118-114 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Also, be sure to check local weather forecasts, because even the slightest cloud could easily obscure the northern lights.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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The seafloor had once been obscured beneath a thick ice shelf, but that changed in July 2017 when the massive A68 iceberg calved from the Larsen C Ice Shelf.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Advertisement While the commercial supply of goods has improved since the cease-fire deal, the flow of humanitarian aid continues to be marred by bureaucracy, delays, and blockages.—
Anna Halford,
Time,
25 Oct. 2025
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Martin starred as one of the NFL’s top running backs a decade ago, in a career that was also marred by injuries and off-field challenges.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Recipes from Valencia took me back to an afternoon lounging in the lawns near The City of Arts and Sciences, staring at orange trees, plucking pieces of rabbit from paella with my fingers, and swirling toast into olive oil.—
Jamila Robinson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
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The iconic meadow scene, during which Bella and Edward stare longingly at one another on the forest floor, reached new levels of enchantmemt thanks to a proper display of the scene's idyllic panorama.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Skip any skins that look moldy, blackened, or spoiled.—
Cathy Cassata,
Health,
24 Oct. 2025
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Whether this backlash will slow the data center boom, blacken the reputation of AI companies and their products with users, or hasten the roll-out of AI regulation globally remains to be seen.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The exhibition is set to take a unique approach, deliberately blurring the line between a traditional museum presentation and an eerie spectacle.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
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Those videos, some with the watermarks cropped or blurred, have deluged social media in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For the party’s new leadership, running Libertarian candidates and providing an outlet for their voters’ political perspective isn’t spoiling.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
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The Pistons were whistled for 31 fouls, resulting in 48 Houston free-throw attempts, and still found a way to spoil the Rockets’ home opener.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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