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
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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
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Recent Examples of darkens
In recent years, neighborhoods ranging from Hancock Park and Lincoln Heights to Mar Vista and Pico Union have been plagued by copper wire theft that darkens the streets.
—
Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 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
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
Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkens
Verb
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Seward tries on one of his safari jackets, based on a 1948 British army uniform, but Stéphane frowns at the fit.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Historically, Wall Street frowns on gift-giving between clients and bankers or Wall Street lawyers, particularly high-end gifts that could pose a conflict of interest.—
Ken Sweet,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Singleton acknowledged that sustaining the coordinated, multi-agency model beyond the World Cup will be difficult once the spotlight fades.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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The continent’s funds have seen steady inflows over the last 12 months, after years of outflows, as pessimism over Europe’s economy fades.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But despite the new program’s promising rhetoric, the scientific framing of the announcement obscures a deeper policy problem.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
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Rather than scrolling, people are reading of the mist that obscures Yorkshire moors and its inhabitants’ judgments.—
Hannah Benson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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This timing difference explains why a tax credit lowers your tax bill before penalties or collections begin, while tax relief applies after a tax balance exists.—
Adam Palasciano,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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Plus, the lack of bulky seams lowers the risk of getting blisters.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The illuminating skin tint instantly blurs and brightens my complexion and leaves behind a soft-focus glow—almost as if my skin were an IRL filter.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
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Apple also pointed to a feature the company offers called Communication Safety that warns children and blurs the image when nudity is detected while receiving or attempting to send content and displays a warning.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Darkens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkens. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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