darken

play

verb dark·en \ˈdär-kən\

Definition of darken

darkened

;

darkening

play \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

play \-kə-nər\ noun

See darken defined for English-language learners

See darken defined for kids

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 of darken from the Web

Half buried in a mound of rubble beside a strike crater, limbs protruded, darkened by dust and rotting in the summer heat.

— susannah george, chicagotribune.com, "Airstrikes propel Mosul gains, despite toll on civilians", 2 July 2017
Darken the top edge of your eyebrows to give them a thinner look, which was popular in the ’20s.

— brooke shunatona, Cosmopolitan, "11 Halloween Looks You Can Create With Makeup You Already Have", 30 June 2017
On that date, the first total solar eclipse to darken the Carolinas in 47 years will pass through western North Carolina and central South Carolina.

— charlotteobserver, "Where to find the best viewing spots for the total solar eclipse", 27 June 2017
There’s goodness left, even as the world tilts and darkens, and some of it lives in you.

— claire comstock-gay, The Cut, "Madame Clairevoyant: Horoscopes for the Week of June 26", 26 June 2017
Throughout its early life as a totem, the hulking cedar in Boxley’s garage was darkened by many a falling tear.

— ron judd, The Seattle Times, "A master carver creates a totem pole to honor his sister-in-law", 22 June 2017
Acne also may cause hyperpigmentation, another form of scarring, where skin is permanently darkened where the pimple once existed.

— alanna martine kilkeary, Teen Vogue, "How to Remove and Fade Scars", 20 June 2017
Quint’s warmth of tone centered the work, as did his control of the shifting attitudes, darkening and strengthening during gut-tightening ascents, yet capable of the most fragile pianissimo.

— libby hanssen, kansascity.com, "Kansas City Symphony’s Classical Series finale exudes power, flexibility", 17 June 2017
Available at Target, CoverGirl Total Tease Mascara ($7.99) is designed to darken and thicken eyelashes for maximum eyelash definition.

— courtney ortega, star-telegram.com, "CoverGirl’s Total Tease Mascara lives up to its name in an unintended way", 16 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'darken'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of darken

14th century

DARKEN Defined for English Language Learners

darken

play

verb

Definition of darken for English Language Learners

: to make (something) dark or to become dark or darker in color
: to make (something) less happy or to become less happy

DARKEN Defined for Kids

darken

play

verb dark·en \ˈdär-kən\

Definition of darken for Students

darkened

;

darkening

1 : to make or grow dark or darker … in three months the long Arctic night that lasted for sixty-six days would darken the top of the world. — Jean Craighead George, Julie of the Wolves
2 : to make or become gloomy Her mood darkened with the news.