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
Once the sky has sufficiently darkened, however, Mars will be relatively easy to see.
—
Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 June 2025
But the gray clouds darkening the skies ahead have accumulated not because of what the Padres are doing or not doing on offense.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2025
The dust then darkens the leading hemispheres of the two outer moons, which bear the brunt of the debris and shield the inner moons, Ariel and Umbriel, from going through the same thing.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2025
The situation seemed to darken as more law enforcement agents and officers moved into the area, agitating some protesters.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 June 2025
But the gray clouds darkening the skies ahead have accumulated not because of what the Padres are doing or not doing on offense.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2025
The dust then darkens the leading hemispheres of the two outer moons, which bear the brunt of the debris and shield the inner moons, Ariel and Umbriel, from going through the same thing.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2025
The situation seemed to darken as more law enforcement agents and officers moved into the area, agitating some protesters.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
-
In the United States, doing significant work a rental might be frowned upon.—
Thea Duncan Prando,
CNBC,
17 May 2025
-
Mook continued to openly frown at Gaitok’s strong moral compass, valid worries, and vulnerabilities.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Once the uncertainty begins to fade, capital returns more quickly than most anticipate.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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The red measurement markings also have a tendency to fade over time, especially with frequent dishwasher use.—
Francesca Krempa,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
All while staring directly into the eye of the stranger sitting opposite. Without depth perception, with facial features and body outlines obscured, with the one available eye fixed straight ahead, the interior of the space appears to swirl and pulse.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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The strongest tool available to obscure your trail online is the Tor Browser.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
16 June 2025
Verb
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They were marred by injuries throughout the season, having entered the season with somewhat high expectations.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
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Once a peaceful area for walking and cycling, it’s now marred by dilapidated vehicles, trash and environmental hazards — posing serious health and safety concerns.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Far too often, business leaders get caught staring at the wrong gauges—hyper-focused on vanity metrics, internal politics or the crisis of the week.—
Ryan Kunkel,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Captured in the early morning, the video shows the woman entering her kitchen to find her partner staring at a grey cat, which is nonchalantly eating from a bowl on the floor.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Nearly five years after a massive fire burned California’s oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods, blackening groves of famous ancient redwoods and destroying all the campgrounds, the visitor center and other facilities, state parks officials have finalized a plan to rebuild.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
19 June 2025
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Lightning had struck a single ponderosa pine, blackening its trunk.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Part of that brand was to label it a ‘spirit,’ blurring the psychological lines between an alcoholic beverage and a THC one.—
Andrew Watman,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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At a sunny oceanfront venue, the line between a vacation-ready, potentially too-casual sundress and appropriate wedding-guest attire blurs.—
Catie Pusateri,
Glamour,
17 June 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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