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
The sky has darkened to a deep, clear blue, although that slow, slow sunset still burns orange on the horizon, and lamps are now glowing around the lagoon, as if set for a candlelit dinner.
—
Rick Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
But that fall, his mood darkened.
—Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
In a photo posted to Instagram and liked by Visit Fort Worth, the city’s tourism bureau, the man in question appears to be wearing makeup to darken his complexion.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Simon also said that darkening retail doors can be filled by growing businesses as Life Time health clubs, House of Sports, which is a relatively new concept from Dick’s Sporting Goods, and space can be repurposed to mixed uses, including outdoor uses.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Rick Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
But that fall, his mood darkened.
—Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
In a photo posted to Instagram and liked by Visit Fort Worth, the city’s tourism bureau, the man in question appears to be wearing makeup to darken his complexion.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Simon also said that darkening retail doors can be filled by growing businesses as Life Time health clubs, House of Sports, which is a relatively new concept from Dick’s Sporting Goods, and space can be repurposed to mixed uses, including outdoor uses.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 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 10 Feb. 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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