dawned; dawning; dawns
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
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
Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
The series begins before Gein has ever killed, in 1945, as dawning awareness of death camps in Europe fills the air with sadism and conspiracy thinking.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
To reduce the risk of mosquito bites and West Nile virus, health officials recommend using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and long pants when outdoors, especially during peak mosquito activity at dawn and dusk.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawn
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Verb
The hair that would otherwise sprout from his postpubescent body has been replaced by the residues of fire—that Promethean symbol of dawning human specialness.
—Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
The series begins before Gein has ever killed, in 1945, as dawning awareness of death camps in Europe fills the air with sadism and conspiracy thinking.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted tests at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that are often heralded as the dawn of heavier-than-air flight.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
To reduce the risk of mosquito bites and West Nile virus, health officials recommend using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and long pants when outdoors, especially during peak mosquito activity at dawn and dusk.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawn
Cite this Entry
“Dawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dawn. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dawn
1 of 2 verb
ˈdȯn 
ˈdän
1
: to begin to grow light as the sun rises
waited for the day to dawn
2
: to begin to appear or develop
a smile dawned on her face
3
: to begin to be understood
the solution dawned on him
dawn
2 of 2 noun1
: the first appearance of light in the morning
2
: a first appearance : beginning
the dawn of a new age
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