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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Taking stock of the darkening afternoon sky from the rooftop of Netflix HQ in the Flatiron District, the actress was optimistic that the weather might delay her flight and give her extra time to unwind in the city. Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 22 May 2025 Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 goes well beyond just the darkening reality in America. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 May 2025 Her family of eight piled in – freshly dressed and coiffed, from her 9-month-old grandson to her 79-year-old father – for a hair-rising ride through traffic back to the darkening square. Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 12 May 2025 Let this papacy be a light in darkening times and, astonishingly, a rare moment to be proud to be an American. Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for darken

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

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Cite this Entry

“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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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