1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of darken
While sulfites are commonly used in golden raisins to prevent darkening during processing, federal regulations require clear labeling of these additives.
—
Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
Smoke from wildfires will travel thousands of miles to darken our skies and choke our lungs.
—Madhukar Pai, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Also, keep in mind that aniline leather has a tendency to darken slightly over time.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 1 Aug. 2025
The rocket shot through a break amid darkening clouds just ahead of a lightning storm on its nine-minute trip into orbit.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
Smoke from wildfires will travel thousands of miles to darken our skies and choke our lungs.
—Madhukar Pai, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Also, keep in mind that aniline leather has a tendency to darken slightly over time.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 1 Aug. 2025
The rocket shot through a break amid darkening clouds just ahead of a lightning storm on its nine-minute trip into orbit.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
-
Read More: When TikTok Trends Send Kids to the Emergency Room In Western culture, open grief is often frowned upon, Giaxoglou says.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
-
While slathering yourself with oil and laying out in the sun is highly (and rightfully) frowned upon in the beauty community, there is one type of oil that dermatologists stand by: the best SPF tanning oils.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
For people dealing with mental health issues, often those feelings don’t fade on their own.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
But Whitworth faded in the final round, shooting over par for the first time in the Open, and Bradley came from behind to win after a tense duel with Beth Daniel on the back nine.—
Hank Beckman,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
While the raid inadvertently unearthed the Ohtani-Mizuhara ordeal, the mushrooming scandal obscured a more complex, far-reaching, and ongoing drama.—
DAVID AMSDEN,
Rolling Stone,
29 Aug. 2025
-
University students have become savvy at using and obscuring their ChatGPT use.—
Joelle Renstrom
August 28,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Boston comes in with three straight losses marring otherwise agreeable vibes.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Many worried that the marshy western shore of the borough had been forever marred.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But after the initial five seconds of being off-leash and staring at Han, Swanson took his chance.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The Bengals have a long history of keeping their eyes open in a staring contest with talent.—
Mike Kaye
August 20,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Moss Inspired by the fall manicure looks at Ferragamo’s Fall 2025 show, Queenie Nguyen says a mossy, blackened green with velvet finish is the perfect mani for when the weather cools.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
11 Aug. 2025
-
McFarland had been at the nursing home since March of 2022, when he was admitted as a hospice patient with a severe case of frostbite that left his feet blackened.—
Sarah Volpenhein,
jsonline.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Some of the details the Sony lenses brought out were incredibly striking, because of how clear everything was with perfect bokeh blurring behind the subject.—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
However, the lines of the tattoo blurred over time, causing the ink to spread and the words to be difficult to read.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
-
Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share