as in stained
not clean
the church's blackened ceiling is the result of centuries of candle smoke
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dirtied
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smeared
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in darkened
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 blackened
Erinne Magee, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022
His blackened execution pyre stands in a barren field, a leitmotif driven like a stake through the heart of the film.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021
Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
The venerable monk was draped in his maroon and saffron robe, his bare feet looking ashen with dust, a few of his toes still blackened from his arduous walk.
—Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackened
Adjective
Menu highlights there include sesame guava toast, conch salad, and a blackened shrimp club wrap.
—Erinne Magee, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022
His blackened execution pyre stands in a barren field, a leitmotif driven like a stake through the heart of the film.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021
Verb
The Sepulveda Basin has seen numerous brush fires in recent years, with the most being the Burbank fire in August 2024, which blackened 75 acres of almost entirely invasive, nonnative plants.
—Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
The venerable monk was draped in his maroon and saffron robe, his bare feet looking ashen with dust, a few of his toes still blackened from his arduous walk.
—Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackened
Adjective
-
Firefighters made a hole with an axe just above the entrance to let the thick black smoke flow out and to avoid breaking the eight stained glass windows along the sides of the structure.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Think soft yellow hues, floral motifs, and colorful stained glass.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The high-frequency detail that was already fading from atmospheric absorption got smeared further.—
Yook JiHun,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Grainy mustard smeared on a chunk of corned beef is delicious too.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bake, tossing halfway through, until vegetables have shrunk and tomato paste is darkened and starting to stick to baking sheet, 25–30 minutes.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The room can quickly be darkened, however, with the flick of a curtain switch.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On January 7, Saman wrote me that two of her Afghan neighbors had just been arrested and sent to a deportation camp that was rumored to be filthy, cold, and overcrowded.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The filmmaker shows a strong handle over the film’s fanciful tone and fitfully filthy sense of humor, and he’s credited with composing the film’s score full of squawking brass instruments and skittish strings in addition to writing, directing and editing.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, at the Milan Fashion Week show, the star embraced an edgy aesthetic with a messy low ponytail and smudged black eyeliner with smoky navy eyeshadow.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Then move on to large appliance fronts—specifically, those stainless steel fridges and ovens that are easily smudged.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Across 180 trials, the drone achieved a reported success rate ranging from 72 percent to 100 percent, demonstrating its ability to maneuver through cluttered and visually obscured environments.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
-
These were large, monochromatic canvases featuring roses and other motifs obscured by large X’s.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It's typically utilized on things like hinges, locks, gears and machinery, in dusty environments where traditional lubricants would attract debris.—
Ben Coxworth
March 27,
New Atlas,
27 Mar. 2026
-
On this gravelly, dusty, single lane, Bob Markle applied a pursuit trick that wardens learn early.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackened. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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