1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
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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
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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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Examples of darken in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the center are two lifelong friends whose contrasting responses to the darkening mood around them, both at school and in the national political arena, expose differences of which neither had previously been aware.
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David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2024
As the room darkened, the lens shimmered greener than green in an affirmation of presence and power that felt, if not human, undoubtedly animate.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2024
The milky-colored tofu is darkened by a few drops of soy sauce and a small heap of fresh wasabi.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2024
Also present on the next-to-last night was a favorite of Mayer’s, a rain of rose petals that eventually envelops and darkens the whole dome.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for darken 
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2024
As the room darkened, the lens shimmered greener than green in an affirmation of presence and power that felt, if not human, undoubtedly animate.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2024
The milky-colored tofu is darkened by a few drops of soy sauce and a small heap of fresh wasabi.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2024
Also present on the next-to-last night was a favorite of Mayer’s, a rain of rose petals that eventually envelops and darkens the whole dome.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for darken
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'darken.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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