1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darken
At these delightfully divey watering holes, every visible surface is covered in dollars scribbled with the initials, anniversaries, hometowns, inside jokes, dates, or names of anyone who has darkened the doors of that particular bar over the past fifty years—or maybe just the past week.
—
Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
Back then, Vine jokes, Harambe memes, and Snapchat filters could sweep through timelines in a way that made the internet feel weirdly communal, even as politics darkened the horizon.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Dusk began to settle around us, and the sky slowly darkened at its edges.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
This higher temperature darkens the paste, slightly caramelizes the sugar, and deactivates enzymes that would otherwise break down pectin, resulting in a thicker, more cooked-tasting product.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
Back then, Vine jokes, Harambe memes, and Snapchat filters could sweep through timelines in a way that made the internet feel weirdly communal, even as politics darkened the horizon.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Dusk began to settle around us, and the sky slowly darkened at its edges.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
This higher temperature darkens the paste, slightly caramelizes the sugar, and deactivates enzymes that would otherwise break down pectin, resulting in a thicker, more cooked-tasting product.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
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The men stood frowning at each other and then back at Adi until the one without the gun broke into croaks of laughter.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Opponents complained that annexing the whole of Mexico would be financially ruinous, and frowned upon having the military indefinitely deployed to Mexico, where most of the citizens would not welcome them.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The designer honors his Azerbaijani heritage, working with artisans from across Azerbaijan and Georgia to create rich, unique textures, while helping to support rural communities and preserve fading artisanal skills.—
Amy O’Brien,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2026
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Other factors for the warmer spring include a fading La Niña, a weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can bring cool temperatures to the United States.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Unsheltered homelessness decreased by 45% between 2023 and 2025, according to those year’s counts, but advocates for homeless people say cold-weather shelters and other factors can obscure the figures.—
Jon Murray,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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Law enforcement tracked license plate readers until the Mercedes-Benz’s plate was not obscured and found that the car was registered to Lu, according to a criminal complaint.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Tempers flared during a recent pair of NBA games, and both contests were marred by tense clashes between players.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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To bring cameras into the equation might mar the authenticity of this pursuit.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Social media users have stared deep into that footage, and some have seen their own reflection.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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What's captivating enough about Freescape's van that show goer after show goer can't help but to stop and stare, at least momentarily, is the unique pop-up roof system, a patented design that's being called the first of its kind.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
15 Jan. 2026
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Its hours are from dawn to dusk every day of the year.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The White House on Thursday posted a picture on its X page of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong appearing to be crying with her hands behind her back as she is escorted by a person wearing a badge whose image is blurred.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2026
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Workman’s presence blurs the line between leverage and legitimacy.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And his two Super Bowls were against the New England Patriots, taking down Belichick and Tom Brady to spoil their perfect 2007 season and the 2011 campaign.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, Jaylon Tyson had 20 and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a big third quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 129-99 and spoil LeBron James' return to Northeast Ohio.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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