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dark 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdärk How to pronounce dark (audio)
Definition of darknext
1
as in dim
being without light or without much light a dark alley that most people wisely avoided

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2
as in black
not having a light complexion he was tall, dark, and handsome

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3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer her mind was filled with dark thoughts until the results of the medical test came back as negative

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4
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge the actor was always quite dark about his life before his arrival in Hollywood

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5
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning the superhero was not daunted by the villain's dark threats

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6
as in ignorant
lacking in education or the knowledge gained from books is known as a dark period in European history when people lived in ignorance, fear, and want

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7
as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable dark deeds that resulted in the Russian czar being known to history as Ivan the Terrible

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dark

2 of 2

noun

1
as in shadows
a time or place of little or no light I have a bad habit of running into tables in the dark

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2
as in night
the time from sunset to sunrise when there is no visible sunlight we were going to wait until dark to go trick-or-treating

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word dark different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of dark are ambiguous, cryptic, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

In what contexts can ambiguous take the place of dark?

The meanings of ambiguous and dark largely overlap; however, ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

When might cryptic be a better fit than dark?

While in some cases nearly identical to dark, cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

When could enigmatic be used to replace dark?

The synonyms enigmatic and dark are sometimes interchangeable, but enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

When can equivocal be used instead of dark?

The words equivocal and dark are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

When is obscure a more appropriate choice than dark?

In some situations, the words obscure and dark are roughly equivalent. However, obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.

obscure poems

When would vague be a good substitute for dark?

While the synonyms vague and dark are close in meaning, vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dark
Adjective
The people of Myanmar felt as though the country might finally be leaving its dark past behind. — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026 In this rain and stiff wind, under a dark sky, from one bleak port to another. — Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
A shade structure extends from the kitchen of the original house to a small dark outbuilding with the family’s home gym. — Laura Fenton, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2026 Record-warm overnight lows meant apartments that used to cool off after dark stopped doing so. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark
  1. murky
  2. black
  3. bleak
  4. silent
  5. ambiguous
  6. ignorant
  7. evil
  8. shadows
Adjective
  • But there’s no mystery to it, no blurred edges or murky, resonant spaces of uncertainty.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Orders can be equivocal, statements ambiguous, instructions murky.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of murky
Adjective
  • Ross’ hair was cleanly slicked back, and her makeup was natural and fresh, save for a subtle smokey eye created with a black liner at the outer third of her eyes.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Two of the key ingredients in that recipe were Egyptian black honey, which is actually a kind of sugarcane molasses, and tiger nuts, which are edible tubers that are said to taste kind of like almonds or coconut.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of black
Adjective
  • Tonally, the film is torn between wanting to be brutally bleak and offering some kind of hope for Murphy and his precocious, adorable daughter.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Max was born in 1937 in Berlin to German-Jewish parents who fled the city from the occupation of Nazis in 1938 to Shanghai, where the artist discovered bright colors, a stark contrast from his parents’ bleak past.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • While his craft transformed a silent battle into celebrated wearable art, Damon is open about the fact that healing is an ongoing journey.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Sylvia Sims Bolton, 1st Ward, is remaining silent about both her criminal case and her future political plans.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of silent
Adjective
  • The diabolical is ambiguous and often frankly sexy; the ridiculous is not.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Others require deep intelligence—analyzing complex financial information, generating code from ambiguous requirements or weighing competing factors.
    — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • The old worst dressed lists could be cruel, sexist, culturally ignorant, and spectacularly misguided.
    — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Mamdani’s ignorant opinion illustrates Kissinger’s concern, relying on emotional display rather than the facts.
    — Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignorant
Adjective
  • The correspondence helped convince Anders, who fled the Nazis for American exile in 1936, that different kinds of evil cause different kinds of harm.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The destination of our hapless hero, a courier (Austin Abrams, absolutely awesome) who must transport an important package between medical facilities, is indeed the game’s residentially evil homebase of Racoon City.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of evil
Noun
  • The Supreme Court continues to make consequential rulings in the shadows.
    — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 21 Sep. 2026
  • His favorite target, CeeDee Lamb, emerged from the shadows with a breakout game that restores his stature among the NFL’s top wideouts in just one game.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of shadows

Phrases Containing dark

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daringness
dark
dark age
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Cite this Entry

“Dark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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