1
as in frowns
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in obscures
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 taints
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 darkens
Every night from January 2 – 4, the super Wolf Moon can be seen in the eastern sky as the sky darkens, rising higher and moving southward as midnight draws near, according to BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
—
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Ash-like material darkens the air, coming out of the giant cracks in the world Vecna ripped open by using the lives of four people, including the now-comatose Max, to open four gates from the Upside Down.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 Nov. 2025
What begins as an electrifying portrait of the band onstage and in transit gradually darkens as the filmmakers chronicle the planning and disastrous execution of the free Altamont Speedway concert that December.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, an unexpected power shift darkens the brotherhood bond between Phil (Adrian Holmes) and Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola), whose loyalties to the Banks family are tested.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
The dishwasher often darkens and discolors aluminum cookware.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Today, as a government shutdown darkens our national museums and the National Endowment for the Humanities is gutted, the danger is no longer a matter of rhetoric but of radical, systemic action.
—Andrew Weinstein, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
The tree produces an annual fall harvest of walnuts, enclosed in a green husk that darkens when ripe.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
When the sky darkens, her stomach clenches.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Ash-like material darkens the air, coming out of the giant cracks in the world Vecna ripped open by using the lives of four people, including the now-comatose Max, to open four gates from the Upside Down.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 Nov. 2025
What begins as an electrifying portrait of the band onstage and in transit gradually darkens as the filmmakers chronicle the planning and disastrous execution of the free Altamont Speedway concert that December.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, an unexpected power shift darkens the brotherhood bond between Phil (Adrian Holmes) and Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola), whose loyalties to the Banks family are tested.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
The dishwasher often darkens and discolors aluminum cookware.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Today, as a government shutdown darkens our national museums and the National Endowment for the Humanities is gutted, the danger is no longer a matter of rhetoric but of radical, systemic action.
—Andrew Weinstein, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
The tree produces an annual fall harvest of walnuts, enclosed in a green husk that darkens when ripe.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
When the sky darkens, her stomach clenches.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkens
Verb
-
Not explained is whether Makary would be happier if drug companies placed ads with immobile patients, frowns, and funereal music.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Ken’yaku, a commitment to frugality, is detectable in a corporate culture that frowns on perks or frills.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Humans have been chewing gum for thousands of years, long after the flavor fades and without any clear nutritional benefit.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In this way, Berlin and New York were linked as though through an imaginary tunnel that gave passage to the hidden or half-glimpsed sexualities that heteropatriarchy silences and obscures.—
Javier Montes,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
-
This deliberately obscures the possibility that some victims were lactating female bears — and for every dead mother, there was probably at least one cub in danger of dying from starvation.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Obviously, police not shooting lowers the risk of harm to the suspect.—
Ben Jones,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That lowers his ultimate value a bit.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
About Modern Work Spaces Hackl says that efficient workflows are still the primary goal, but the concept has changed in a way that blurs the lines of the classic three-sided shape.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Squire’s story blurs ideological lines.—
Emily Brindley,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The picture exudes both grace and vulnerability, and hints at imperfection by way of a disconcerting, coral-like wrinkle that mars the foot’s heel.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Deadly holiday weekend mars broad crime drop The back-and-forth followed a Labor Day weekend of deadly violence in Chicago worse than in the previous two years, with seven people shot to death, according to preliminary Chicago Police Department reports.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Another stares straight ahead, revealing no emotion, a mystery deepened by the bags under her eyes and the safety pin stabbed through her nose.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
13 Dec. 2025
-
In making the documentary, Craig stayed true to his and his brother’s body of work, which stares with unblinking eyes at the repercussions of violence.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Darkens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkens. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share