darkened; darkening
ˈdär-kə-niŋ 
1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened
1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
Examples of darken in a Sentence
The sky darkened and it started to rain.
Her face darkens to a deep red when she gets angry.
The wood will darken as it ages.
The bad news darkened his mood.
The last days of her life were darkened by illness.
His mood darkened after he heard the bad news.
Recent Examples on the Web
As the room darkened, the lens shimmered greener than green in an affirmation of presence and power that felt, if not human, undoubtedly animate.
—
Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2024
The milky-colored tofu is darkened by a few drops of soy sauce and a small heap of fresh wasabi.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2024
Also present on the next-to-last night was a favorite of Mayer’s, a rain of rose petals that eventually envelops and darkens the whole dome.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Aug. 2024
Protect from the sun: Limit sun exposure and use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to prevent darkening of surrounding skin.
—Stixx Matthews, Essence, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for darken 
Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2024
The milky-colored tofu is darkened by a few drops of soy sauce and a small heap of fresh wasabi.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2024
Also present on the next-to-last night was a favorite of Mayer’s, a rain of rose petals that eventually envelops and darkens the whole dome.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Aug. 2024
Protect from the sun: Limit sun exposure and use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to prevent darkening of surrounding skin.
—Stixx Matthews, Essence, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for darken
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'darken.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
darken
verb
dark·en
ˈdär-kən
darkened; darkening
ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
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