dawn

verb

\ˈdȯn,

ˈdän\

Definition of dawn

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to begin to grow light as the sun rises waited for the day to dawn

2 : to begin to appear or develop a new era is dawning

3 : to begin to be perceived or understood the truth finally dawned on us

dawn

noun

Definition of dawn (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the first appearance of light in the morning followed by sunrise danced till dawn at the crack of dawn Almost before the first faint sign of dawn appeared she arose again …— Thomas Hardy

2 : beginning the dawn of the space age

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about dawn

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of dawn in a Sentence

Verb

They waited for the day to dawn. A new age is dawning.

Noun

as dawn breaks over the city Winter brings late dawns and early sunsets.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

His empty, sweeping landscape revealed under a spectacular, roseate sky is imbued with a sense of hope as captured in the dawning light of ephemeral atmospheric effects. — Mary Tompkins Lewis, WSJ, "‘Mantegna and Bellini’ Review: A Family Affair," 3 Nov. 2018 But what revolutionary change in technology and lifestyle didn’t manage to do in convincing us that a new day has dawned, a president who dissembles, distorts, lies and recklessly attacks has. — David Zurawik, baltimoresun.com, "The more Trump attacks, the more popular culture articulates, celebrates role of the press," 10 May 2018 The day will dawn wintry with a period of wet snow that could accumulate an inch or two on grass areas, especially south and west of the city. — Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Chilly St. Patrick's Day could have wintry start," 17 Mar. 2018 That’s when the same reality dawned on both Henry and Pallotta: their experiences in U.S. sports in no way prepared them for the permanent circus of European soccer. — Joshua Robinson, WSJ, "Liverpool vs. Roma: A Champions League Semifinal Made in Boston," 23 Apr. 2018 Tuesday dawned with some unusually low temperatures around San Diego County. — Robert Krier, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Day starts chilly; first rain in a month possible Thursday," 17 Apr. 2018 Gono said the possibility of a professional career began to dawn on him during his junior year, when scouts would visit Wesley. — Phil Anastasia, Philly.com, "Cinnaminson graduate Matt Gono is unlikely NFL draft prospect," 21 Apr. 2018 With figures and objects materializing in space from darkness and gloom, chiaroscuro could be a pictorial metaphor for enlightenment — the proverbial light bulb moment, or the visual equivalent of something dawning on you. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Out of the shadows and into the light: 'Chiaroscuro Woodcut' is a sleeper hit at LACMA," 5 July 2018 Primary Election Day in Harford County dawned sunny and pleasant Tuesday, as more than 130,000 eligible Republicans and Democrats will have a final opportunity to pick their parties’ nominees for state and county offices and congressional seats. — David Anderson, The Aegis, "Harford voters go to the polls in primary election," 26 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Humans have been tinkering with other species since at least the dawn of civilization, from domesticating dogs to breeding more productive crops. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "3 scientists sped up evolution in a lab. Their work just won a Nobel Prize.," 3 Oct. 2018 The moon will appear to edge closer to Saturn as the night goes on, and the two objects will appear closest together — just 1.3 degrees apart — low in the southwest between midnight and dawn. — Joe Rao, Space.com, "The Moon Has a Close Encounter with Saturn on Tuesday Night," 23 July 2018 After Alan Schwartz, pictured in 2010, took to CNBC at the dawn of the financial crisis, the decline in Bear Stearns shares quickly gathered steam. — John D. Stoll, WSJ, "The CEO’s Guide to Prime-Time Survival: No Hard Swallows," 17 Nov. 2018 Women have been there at the dawn of every single technology as heavy hitters, developers, innovators, inventors, and content creators. — Will Hermes, Longreads, "‘I Love What Human Voices Do Together’: An Interview with Neko Case," 9 June 2018 Its name, borrowed from a novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry set at the dawn of commercial aviation, translates to Night Flight, suggesting, along with the Trappist ales on offer, a red-eye into a land of pastoral retreat and deep history. — Neima Jahromi, The New Yorker, "Seeking a Continental Illusion at Vol de Nuit," 8 June 2018 His commitment for the next six seasons comes as a huge boost to Spurs, especially at the dawn of a fresh era for the club in a brand new stadium. — SI.com, "Harry Kane Signs New Six-Year Tottenham Contract Through 2024," 8 June 2018 And this was back at dawn of the ’70s, for God’s sake! — Gail Sheehy, The Cut, "What Tom Wolfe Taught Me About Reporting," 18 May 2018 From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age. — Joshua Rivera, GQ, "Reach for the Sky: Red Dead Redemption 2 Finally Dropped a New Trailer," 2 May 2018

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