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
Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and flour has darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
—
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
As the world's largest oil importer and a heavily export-reliant economy, China is vulnerable to an oil shock that's already slowing trade, pushing up factory costs, and darkening the outlook for the rest of the year.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
The staggering human toll in Gaza, ongoing West Bank settlement expansion, another incursion into Lebanon, and a darkening war with Iran eroded support among younger Americans—even as Washington remains Israel’s indispensable security partner.
—Ian Bremmer, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
The Iran war is darkening the outlook for the world economy — whether or not a fragile ceasefire holds, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday.
—Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
As the world's largest oil importer and a heavily export-reliant economy, China is vulnerable to an oil shock that's already slowing trade, pushing up factory costs, and darkening the outlook for the rest of the year.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
The staggering human toll in Gaza, ongoing West Bank settlement expansion, another incursion into Lebanon, and a darkening war with Iran eroded support among younger Americans—even as Washington remains Israel’s indispensable security partner.
—Ian Bremmer, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
The Iran war is darkening the outlook for the world economy — whether or not a fragile ceasefire holds, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday.
—Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 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 25 Apr. 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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