darkness

Definition of darknessnext
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as in night
the time from sunset to sunrise when there is no visible sunlight let's wait for darkness before telling ghost stories

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in cloud
an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom the darkness of that period of my life is best forgotten

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 darkness But delve a little deeper and there’s a real darkness there. Liza Lentini, SPIN, 15 May 2026 Her red hair in the darkness resembled a beautiful bird’s nest lit on fire. Literary Hub, 14 May 2026 That Mann and his daughter, at a posh Frankfurt hotel party, glimpse so many remnants of the Nazi era — including Erika’s ex-husband, who collaborated with the regime — is another portent of darkness. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026 Fisk is hiding in the light, and the vigilantes are hiding in the darkness, but [in this case] light does not represent anything holy or just. ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for darkness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkness
Noun
  • Guests can reserve a time to make their own art too and choose to make a traditional, glow-in-the-dark, or pumpkin ornament.
    Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
  • Even the resort's concrete pathways serve the mission—instead of traditional lights, they are bordered by the faint green and blue light of glow-in-the-dark pebbles.
    Michael d'Estries, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • The power of its clarity or ambiguity.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 14 May 2026
  • Part of the concern has to do with the ethical ambiguities surrounding the project.
    Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • James Ward Thursday night’s California governor debate underscored just how unsettled — and contentious — the race has become, with candidates repeatedly clashing over crime, election integrity, reproductive rights, and the balance of power between state and local government.
    James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • All eyes were on the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) X Division Championship on Thursday night as Leon Slater looked to retain the title over Cedric Alexander and solidify himself as the longest-reigning X Division champion in the company’s history.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Some lightning occurs deep within clouds or is too weak to register clearly from orbit.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 12 May 2026
  • Their tiered form nods to the cloud terrace motif that appears repeatedly in New Mexico’s indigenous Pueblo art and architecture.
    Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Jules’ colorful shadows - Season 1, Episode 5 One of the most artistic makeup looks from season 1, Jules’ (Hunter Schafer) colorful eyelids look a bit like an abstract painting.
    Hannah Kerns, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
  • Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.
    Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Brand’s love letter to Musk casts a pall on the rest of the book, under which the author’s indifference to politics becomes more difficult to ignore.
    Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The allegations have put a pall over the efforts of the Kenyan mission, which while not successful in returning security and stability to Haiti, has been credited with stopping the situation from completely collapsing.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In it, a crescent of Earth’s blue vitality hovers amid the blackness of space, above a high-definition brownish gray wasteland of lunar craters.
    Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Together, these two superb artists make much of Yarris constantly seeking the light, as Yarris searches for a way forward from the blackness of death row.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.
    Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Darkness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkness. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

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