as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
blackening of the senator's good name disgusted voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in staining
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smearing
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in darkening
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in fading
to grow dark
the auditorium blackened suddenly, and a spotlighted performer appeared alone on stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blackening
Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2021
Drizzle lime juice over tilapia, season with 1/2 tsp salt, and dip in blackening seasoning.
—Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, 31 Mar. 2020
Like Dorian Gray’s portrait, his face registered the blackening of Walt’s soul.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Oct. 2019
He and manager Dave Bristol went at it one day at the yard, with the manager blackening The Count’s eye.
—Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2019
Fenolio came across an academic journal with a paper about a particular species of frog that had faced similar deaths — a blackening and drying of the skin followed by a quick demise.
—Josh Baugh, ExpressNews.com, 8 July 2019
The floors were free from the blackening caused by fire.
—National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2019
Whole villages were nearly wiped out, and in total, some 60 percent of Europe's population would succumb to the disease, which was characterized by an extreme swelling of the lymph nodes and the gradual blackening of the fingertips and toes as the tissues died.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2016
Any blackening or a brown shade on the switch or outlet is cause for concern.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 29 Apr. 2016
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
Each footstep sent up clouds of dust and ash, coating everything, including my mouth and teeth, in fine grit, blackening my snot and saliva.
—River Selby
august 25, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Temple leaves the tail shell on the end of the shrimp to protect the tender tip in the blackening process.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2021
Drizzle lime juice over tilapia, season with 1/2 tsp salt, and dip in blackening seasoning.
—Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, 31 Mar. 2020
Like Dorian Gray’s portrait, his face registered the blackening of Walt’s soul.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Oct. 2019
He and manager Dave Bristol went at it one day at the yard, with the manager blackening The Count’s eye.
—Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2019
Fenolio came across an academic journal with a paper about a particular species of frog that had faced similar deaths — a blackening and drying of the skin followed by a quick demise.
—Josh Baugh, ExpressNews.com, 8 July 2019
The floors were free from the blackening caused by fire.
—National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2019
Whole villages were nearly wiped out, and in total, some 60 percent of Europe's population would succumb to the disease, which was characterized by an extreme swelling of the lymph nodes and the gradual blackening of the fingertips and toes as the tissues died.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2016
Any blackening or a brown shade on the switch or outlet is cause for concern.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 29 Apr. 2016
Verb
High-Heat-Safe Alternatives While enameled cast-iron cookware is excellent to use for braising, roasting, baking, or gentle stovetop cooking, certain high heat applications like searing steak or blackening fish are best done in other types of pans, like traditional cast iron or stainless steel.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
Each footstep sent up clouds of dust and ash, coating everything, including my mouth and teeth, in fine grit, blackening my snot and saliva.
—River Selby
august 25, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackening
Noun
-
Baldoni denied the claims and filed a $400 million defamation suit against Lively as well as a $250 million libel lawsuit against The Times, both of which have since been tossed.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The filing was later tossed, as was Baldoni’s $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times for its coverage of Lively’s allegations.—
Jami Ganz,
Mercury News,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Holevich adds that cleaning these surfaces promptly will help prevent long-term staining and lingering odors.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Foods like tomato sauce and chocolate can cause staining if they aren't wiped up right away.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The vacuum cleaner has powerful suction, 8,000 Pa, and the mop cleans without sloshing and smearing water on the floor.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Despite the controversy, most Glamour staffers can recall smearing on play makeup or stealing mommy’s moisturizer.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Add this set of room-darkening curtains to block light for a darker bedroom at night, or grab this fleece blanket to snuggle up with and add texture to a room.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
26 Dec. 2025
-
Alternating between onion and potatoes when grating helps keep the potatoes from darkening.—
Joan Nathan,
Saveur,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Anti-SLAPP laws are generally used to prevent people from using expensive defamation suits to target or punish others for their speech.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The actress, 39, is featured in Silenced, which centers around the weaponization of defamation laws against abuse survivors.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.—
Adam Roy,
Outside,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Amazon shoppers are also going after this top-selling nonstick frying pan that’s great for eggs, chicken breasts, and other hard-to-flip foods, as well as this immersion blender that can churn soups and sauces into a creamy texture without dirtying another vessel.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
It's long been known that the spinning turbines of a wind farm can interfere with radar, obscuring legitimate targets and creating the appearance of false ones.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
21 Jan. 2026
-
With the program and song texts only available to download on the cellphone, the audience was left in the dark without texts and, with amplification obscuring diction, not knowing what’s what.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In reality, your body is constantly regulating them on its own, and messing with that process can be problematic.—
Rachel Reiff Ellis,
SELF,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The last two seasons have proven that the team starts off slow, which ends up messing their chances of making the playoffs.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackening. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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