1
as in to stain
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to darken
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blacken
The company later became known for environmental damage, most notably for causing one of the worst oil spills in history when its supertanker, the Exxon Valdez, spewed millions of gallons of crude oil off Alaska that blackened shorelines and killed marine life.
—
Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Such a high ratio implies that the Studio Display XDR can turn off (that is, fully blacken) the pixels within its dimming zones.
—Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026
The benches are blackened with age, strewn with tools.
—Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
Juicy, whole lobster served grilled or blackened is best, though the menu at this famous haunt features every possible iteration of the dish.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blacken
Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Such a high ratio implies that the Studio Display XDR can turn off (that is, fully blacken) the pixels within its dimming zones.
—Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026
The benches are blackened with age, strewn with tools.
—Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
Juicy, whole lobster served grilled or blackened is best, though the menu at this famous haunt features every possible iteration of the dish.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blacken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blacken
Verb
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Leave enough room to mow around the tree, cut it back each season, and make any repairs to your fence, such as staining or board replacement.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
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In some stretches, the water is stained with chemical residue.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Verb
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In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2025
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As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The other is darkened by fuel scarcity and rising prices that threaten a humanitarian crisis.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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The shades were drawn and curtains closed in Jane’s room, and the door was opened only after the hallway was darkened.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Verb
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But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the pigment and gum are largely invisible, because harding and Upkett smeared them with white paint used by the Carnegie Museum to cover its walls.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
12 May 2026
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The Orbánists first ignored them, then smeared them.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The shoes appeared to have high block heels that were obscured by her wide-legged jeans.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
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Coastal areas and islands may also have strong prospects, but the very low sun angle means even thin cloud layers near the horizon could obscure the eclipse.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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And thus one of the more wholesome and fun events in the White House calendar was besmirched by a man who simply cannot stop with the zero-sum partisan nonsense even when surrounded by impressionable young faces.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Imagine having the gall to besmirch the name of a young mother killed for trying to speak up for her neighbors or of an ICU nurse shot in the back for trying to tend to a woman who had been pepper-sprayed in the face.—
Sasha Abramsky,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those who don’t get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
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Blue is officially fired for injecting a patient with an unapproved drug, and in a devastating twist, he is humiliated by and forced to give his badge back to Richard in front of Catherine (Debbie Allen).—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blacken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blacken. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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