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
Sweep sidewalks regularly to keep dirt and debris from building up and darkening the color.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Pushing harder would have darkened the story, but been slightly more believable.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
The lens darkening is a boon, though, as turning on the tint makes the image really pop against the dark background.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
Attacks on celebration The latest anti-DEI attack (House Bill 1001/Senate Bill 1134) to darken the state Legislature’s doors was envisioned, at least partially, as an official antidote to joy.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Pushing harder would have darkened the story, but been slightly more believable.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
The lens darkening is a boon, though, as turning on the tint makes the image really pop against the dark background.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
Attacks on celebration The latest anti-DEI attack (House Bill 1001/Senate Bill 1134) to darken the state Legislature’s doors was envisioned, at least partially, as an official antidote to joy.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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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