black 1 of 3

adjective

ˈblak How to pronounce black (audio)
Definition of blacknext
1
as in ebony
having the color of soot or coal we adopted a little black kitten

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2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the Friday of the stock market crash was indeed a black day for the country

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3
as in swarthy
not having a light complexion a black Irishman, Tyrone Power had the classic looks of a Hollywood leading man

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4
as in darkened
being without light or without much light on a black night such as this, the imagination runs wild

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5
as in blackened
not clean after mopping the floor, the water in the bucket was black

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black

2 of 3

noun

as in blackness
a time or place of little or no light we had to find our way on back roads in the black of night

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black

3 of 3

verb

chiefly British
as in to boycott

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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 black
Adjective
In some neighborhoods, videos showed black smoke billowing from neighborhoods where only brick chimneys remained later where houses once stood, according to the Associated Press. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026 With its simple shape and elegant black trim, this maxi dress feels equal parts timeless and versatile. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
Lennon, in a crisp white suit, led each procession, followed by Starr in black, McCartney in sandals for two and barefoot for the rest, and Harrison in denim. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 July 2026 Grab the classic black or opt for a softer look with the brown. — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for black
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black
  1. ebony
  2. dark
  3. darkened
  4. blackened
  5. blackness
  6. boycott
  7. raven
  8. gray
Adjective
  • The color palette included ebony, black and oak tones.
    — Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 21 June 2026
  • The venerable patriarch is leaning heavily on an ebony cane, and is followed closely by his personal assistant, a bald gnome of a man, armed with a notebook and pencil.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Definition of ebony
Adjective
  • Their traditional decor centers around darker fabrics and pale wall coverings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her doctor advised her to stop clinical hyperpigmentation treatments for her dark spots and uneven skin tone as some ingredients could be unsafe to use while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of blackened
Noun
  • Experts say that the biggest challenge at that extreme level of blackness is actually measuring it.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 June 2026
  • In the restaurant, my dad looked at me with the passionate conviction of a man who was confident in his Blackness and wanted nothing more than to pass it on.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
Definition of blackness
Verb
  • And in June of that year, while the team was still vying for tournament qualification, the country’s federation convened to consider a proposal to boycott the competition.
    — Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026
  • Who can tell the difference between defending the right to boycott and defending someone from retaliation for participating in a boycott?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of boycott
Adjective
  • Earlier this season, Jackie and Shadow laid four eggs, but two were destroyed during a raven attack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Earlier this season, the pair laid four eggs, but two were destroyed during a raven attack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of raven
Adjective
  • Promotional stills, tour visuals and social content have followed the same restrained palette of black, white and grey, with color largely absent from official imagery.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • On April 29, 2001, the duo was spotted in New York City’s Central Park wearing similar baseball caps and brown-and-gray outfits.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of gray

Phrases Containing black

Browse Nearby Words

blabs
black
black-and-white
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Cite this Entry

“Black.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on black

Nglish: Translation of black for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black

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