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
Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
The building burned to the ground and the soil has been scraped, but that blackened sago palm is still there, sprouting tons of new growth.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 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 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
The building burned to the ground and the soil has been scraped, but that blackened sago palm is still there, sprouting tons of new growth.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackened
Adjective
-
Think soft yellow hues, floral motifs, and colorful stained glass.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Place a dab of olive oil on a soft cloth and gently rub the stained area.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
4 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
-
Grainy mustard smeared on a chunk of corned beef is delicious too.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Cops called to the scene found blood smeared on the stairwell from the third floor to the second, and more blood smeared on the walls in the second-floor hallway.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Pushing harder would have darkened the story, but been slightly more believable.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The city largely shut down as residents and tourists ran for cover and plumes of smoke from fires darkened the Pacific vista.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
But there’s a difference between a dirty deal and a filthy deal.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
15 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
-
Something could have obscured critical knowledge.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Police recovered surveillance footage of the suspect, his face partially obscured by his hood, near the scene.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If frozen molecules can survive within these dusty structures, they may later be released into the interstellar medium as the nebula disperses, contributing complex material to future generations of stars and planetary systems.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The Sombrero Galaxy was imaged to magnificent effect by the Hubble Space Telescope — most recently to mark its 35th anniversary in space — which revealed its sweeping disk-like structure and pronounced dusty lanes shining beneath its glowing galactic core.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackened. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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