1
as in to stain
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blacken
The mosque is blackened and burned, the minaret split in two.
—
Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 30 Apr. 2026
Add the unpeeled garlic and toast until blackened, about 5 minutes.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Loss of valuables in the ruins The exteriors of some buildings remained blackened from the flames.
—Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for blacken
Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 30 Apr. 2026
Add the unpeeled garlic and toast until blackened, about 5 minutes.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Loss of valuables in the ruins The exteriors of some buildings remained blackened from the flames.
—Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for blacken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blacken
Verb
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But staining showed no RNA or DNA molecules, indicating that the cells were definitely dead.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
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The Bruins’ bat boy’s tears stained the front of Cholowsky’s jersey as his sobs grew heavier by the second.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
1 June 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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Outside, there's little to announce this place but a small square plaque and large windows darkened by velvet curtains.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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The country’s growth outlook has darkened due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has effectively halted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up energy and commodities prices globally.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 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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Participants spill into streets, courtyards and public squares covered head to toe in pigment, and strangers smear color on one another as a greeting.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
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The dog couldn’t go in her room so soon after her transplant, so Aspen dabbed colors on a small canvas and handed it to Scott, who put it in a plastic bag and smeared peanut butter on top.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Verb
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In transportation, technology must support human judgment, not obscure it.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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What, then, is being obscured—beyond the view?—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
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In her response, Hajdini cast Rana as manipulative and deceitful, intent on ruining her life and besmirching her employer through his sensational accusations.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
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Bryna Laub, editor of Daytime Serial Newsletter, felt the show besmirched the sanctity of soaps and contributed to the broader currents of shame surrounding the genre.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Linda Hyde, a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member since 2014, boarded her Southwest flight on May 21 at Miami International Airport humiliated and angry.—
Ella Moore
Updated May 29,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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Strength is not the capacity to humiliate someone with less power.—
Marc Brackett,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blacken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blacken. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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