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
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
While old shoes washing ashore might sound unique, this isn’t the first time that these leather shoes — well-preserved and blackened with time — have been found in the area.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Jan. 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
In all, more than 8,000 California wildfires blackened 525,223 acres, killed 31 people and burned 16,512 structures in the past year, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
While old shoes washing ashore might sound unique, this isn’t the first time that these leather shoes — well-preserved and blackened with time — have been found in the area.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackened
Adjective
-
Elsewhere in the photoshoot, Pattinson poses with a cigarette in his mouth, pants unbuttoned and in a stained shirt in a black-and-white photo.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Gently massage only the stained area.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 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
-
Snack on apple slices smeared with nut butter.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Why are my windows still smeared after cleaning?—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During this event, the entire moon passes through the Earth's umbra (the darkest part of its shadow), causing the moon to appear darkened or reddened.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Add garlic, tomato paste, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste has darkened in color, about 2 minutes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Kelli Bryant, 34, was facing three counts each of child abuse related to allegedly forcing her three children, a 15-year-old boy and a 13- and 12-year-old girl, to live in unbearable, filthy conditions in an apartment on Lydia Lane.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Other parts of the ballpark, including the exterior concourse and entrances, were also impacted by the filthy leaks, which stunk to high heaven.—
Gary Phillips,
Hartford Courant,
22 Feb. 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
-
And the screen is often duly obscured in a whitish haze, some of it moving through the skies above, some of it rising from the Phlegraean Fields, an active eight-mile-wide caldera to the west of Naples.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Water had obscured the depth and impact of the sinkhole.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Timeless wood pieces, plush armchairs and headboards, and earthy yet optimistic color palettes (think ivory, spring green, tawny brown, and bronze) are both serene and cozy, without feeling dusty or overly trendy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Further investigation with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) whittled these galaxies down to 70 faint dusty galaxy candidates on the very edge of the cosmos, the majority of which had never been seen before.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackened. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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