as in dark
being without light or without much light
wanting to surprise her, we waited in the darkened room for her to get home before calling out "happy birthday"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frowned
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in obscured
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 marred
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 darkened
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
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
But just as the meeting was about to wrap up, the mood darkened.
—Rebecca Ramirez, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
But the context of the occasion had darkened considerably.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
In recent years, the reality show underwent a contemporary reexamination in the age of social media, with fans reigniting conversations about controversial elements of the show, such as shoots that darkened models' skin to portray different ethnicities, body-shaming panelists, and more.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Clouds darkened across the Bay Area Sunday as the first of three back-to-back rain storms gathered over the region, kicking off what is forecast to be a week of rain that could last through next Sunday.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
The sky has darkened to a deep, clear blue, although that slow, slow sunset still burns orange on the horizon, and lamps are now glowing around the lagoon, as if set for a candlelit dinner.
—Rick Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
But that fall, his mood darkened.
—Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
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
But just as the meeting was about to wrap up, the mood darkened.
—Rebecca Ramirez, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
But the context of the occasion had darkened considerably.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
In recent years, the reality show underwent a contemporary reexamination in the age of social media, with fans reigniting conversations about controversial elements of the show, such as shoots that darkened models' skin to portray different ethnicities, body-shaming panelists, and more.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Clouds darkened across the Bay Area Sunday as the first of three back-to-back rain storms gathered over the region, kicking off what is forecast to be a week of rain that could last through next Sunday.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
The sky has darkened to a deep, clear blue, although that slow, slow sunset still burns orange on the horizon, and lamps are now glowing around the lagoon, as if set for a candlelit dinner.
—Rick Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
But that fall, his mood darkened.
—Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkened
Adjective
-
Both teams wore their dark jerseys for the 266th meeting between the teams and UCLA improved to 150-116 in a series dating to 1928 when UCLA joined the Pacific Coast Conference.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
-
In all, eight of the 28 shows lost a performance (many productions are dark on Sunday nights anyway), and most took significant box office blows.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Eating on the London Underground is usually frowned upon, but one of the city’s most unusual dining experiences lies at the northern end of the Victoria tube line inside a decommissioned train carriage.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Historically, archaeologists have wondered about this tradition, often frowned upon by Western audiences.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For three decades, the hum of the table saw and the smell of machine oil faded from American high schools.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Gingrich was eventually driven from the speakership; Buchanan left the Republican Party to run under the Reform Party, and then faded from public life.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
23 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
Verb
-
But even her first edition was marred with political turmoil in Germany with the rise of the far right, as well as pressures for the Berlinale to pick a side in the Gaza-Israel conflict.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
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The ruling caps the highest-profile criminal case from the shootout, which left more than a dozen people injured and marred what had been a peaceful celebration earlier that day for thousands of Oaklanders gathered around Lake Merritt to mark the federal Juneteenth holiday.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Past research in humans on how neurogenesis occurs has been murky, partly due to the type of measurement tools used, Lazarov said.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Davis has a water filtration system and said her water is still murky.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Brown sprinted to Parker’s bench, stared at the Mission Hills football players and brought her right index finger to her lips.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
-
As the Republican applause continued, the president stared in their direction, with a disgusted look on his face.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The building burned to the ground and the soil has been scraped, but that blackened sago palm is still there, sprouting tons of new growth.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darkened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkened. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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