darken

verb

dark·​en ˈdär-kən 

darkened; darkening ˈdär-kə-niŋ 

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

ˈdär-kə-nər 

noun

Synonyms of darken

• frown
• stare
• gloom
• glare

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

The chicken enchiladas with salsa verde cremosa were good, but the Black Angus tacos, served on corn tortillas darkened with squid ink, are the highlight here. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

The McCourt, as the resulting 17,000-square-foot enclosure is called, can be daylit or darkened by drapes, tricked out with lights, sound, and risers, and adapted to emulate a high-concept amusement park, a concert hall, or an arena. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026

During this time, the sky darkens, and viewers can remove their eclipse glasses to view our planet's moon blocking our star. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Toast ½ cup raw pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, 13–17 minutes. — Matt Lewis, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing darken

• darken someone's door/doors

Rhymes for darken

• harken
• hearken
• markan
• parkin

Kids 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

darkener

ˈdärk-(ə-)nər 

noun