Synonyms of darkened

darkened 1 of 2

adjective

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

• dark
• murky
• black
• dimmed
• obscured
• dim
• dusky
• lightless
• unlit
• dusk
• somber
• gloomy
• darkling
• obscure
• darkish
• pitch-black
• pitch-dark
• stygian
• darksome
• tenebrous
• pitchy
• caliginous
• rayless
• twilit
• dulled
• gray
• crepuscular
• tenebrific
• starless
• moonless
• misty
• shadowy
• clouded
• lackluster
• pale
• shady
• cloudy
• dull
• foggy
• leaden
• sunless
• smoggy
• fuliginous
• befogged
• shadowlike
• beclouded
• soupy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• illuminated
• bright
• luminous
• lit
• shining
• brilliant
• illumined
• brightened
• sparkling
• radiant
• lucent
• lucid
• incandescent
• glaring
• resplendent
• lightsome
• glowing
• alight
• effulgent
• lambent
• beaming
• beamy
• shiny
• glossy
• lustrous
• aglitter
• highlighted
• agleam
• sunlit
• moonlit
• ablaze
• relucent
• ultrabright
• spotlighted
• moony
• starlit
• floodlit

darkened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of darken

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

• frowned
• stared
• lowered
• glared
• scowled
• glowered
• raged
• gloomed
• brooded
• angered
• pouted
• steamed
• threatened
• sulked
• stormed
• bristled
• petted
• intimidated
• menaced
• fumed
• moped

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brightened
• lightened
• cheered (up)
• perked (up)

2

as in faded

to grow dark

the sky darkened as a storm moved in

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faded
• blackened
• dimmed
• closed in
• dusked
• blacked out
• waned
• gloomed
• lowered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lit
• brightened
• lightened
• dawned
• shone
• glowed
• radiated
• beamed

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

• obscured
• blurred
• blackened
• clouded
• dimmed
• overshadowed
• shadowed
• shrouded
• fogged
• misted
• overcast
• beclouded
• hazed
• shaded
• concealed
• bleared
• overclouded
• bedimmed
• hid
• covered
• obliterated
• dislimned
• eclipsed
• fuzzed (up)
• befogged
• masked
• adumbrated
• curtained
• blotted out
• camouflaged
• screened
• cloaked
• veiled
• disguised

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brightened
• illuminated
• lit (up)
• exposed
• lightened
• revealed
• illumined
• uncovered
• unveiled

4

as in marred

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable

the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• marred
• tainted
• stained
• poisoned
• spoiled
• touched
• tarnished
• blackened
• distorted
• degraded
• lowered
• vitiated
• smeared
• discredited
• blurred
• blemished
• corrupted
• polluted
• clouded
• discolored
• smudged
• sullied
• soiled
• disgraced
• perverted
• tarred
• shamed
• dirtied
• begrimed
• colored
• dishonored
• sank
• debased
• besmirched
• besmeared
• twisted
• smutted
• subverted
• debauched
• smirched
• demeaned
• depraved
• cheapened
• demoralized
• fouled
• abased
• bastardized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purified
• cleansed
• elevated
• magnified
• uplifted
• dignified
• enshrined
• glorified
• hallowed
• ennobled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of darkened

Adjective

This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear. — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026

She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power. — Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid. — Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

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

Of these two types of backlit TVs, full-array models stand out as the best choice because their lighting is broken down into zones that can be individually lit or darkened as needed. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

China’s growth target is already its lowest since 1991, and the economic picture is darkened further by a real estate downturn that is straining local government finances and undercutting spending capacity, Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Add tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until darkened in color, 2 to 4 minutes. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026

During a partial lunar eclipse that peaked just after midnight on Friday, Earth’s shadow darkened parts of the moon’s visible surface. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

The sky darkened suddenly, as if it had been turned down by a dimmer switch, and Decoteau frowned at a weather app on his phone. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

The funeral was held less than a week after her signature song served as the soundtrack at celebrations marking a total eclipse that darkened skies across parts of Europe. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

While a thin sliver will remain illuminated by direct sunlight, most of the lunar surface will appear dramatically darkened with a subtle reddish-orange glow — reminiscent of a total lunar eclipse seen across North America on March 3. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

The chicken enchiladas with salsa verde cremosa were good, but the Black Angus tacos, served on corn tortillas darkened with squid ink, are the highlight here. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026