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
Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Health authorities have urged Massachusetts residents to take precautions, including avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito hours from dusk to dawn in areas of high risk, draining standing water where mosquitoes can breed, and repairing or installing screens to windows and doors.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
From the early evening to dawn, this designated Dark Sky Park is one of the best places to catch the Northern Lights.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawn
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Verb
Jolie nonetheless manages to bring some palpable life to the role, complicating her otherworldly magnetism with a dawning dread and sorrow.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Health authorities have urged Massachusetts residents to take precautions, including avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito hours from dusk to dawn in areas of high risk, draining standing water where mosquitoes can breed, and repairing or installing screens to windows and doors.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
After graduating from college, Pendleton began her career as a cartographic engineer, designing and modifying maps at the dawn of the computer age.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
From the early evening to dawn, this designated Dark Sky Park is one of the best places to catch the Northern Lights.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 26 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 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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