darken

verb

dark·​en ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
darkened; darkening ˈdär-kə-niŋ How to pronounce darken (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened

transitive verb

1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
3
: taint, tarnish
darkened his reputation
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
darkener noun

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 

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.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of darken was in the 14th century

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.

Kids Definition

darken

verb
dark·​en ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
darkened; darkening ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce darken (audio)
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
darkener noun

More from Merriam-Webster on darken

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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