1
as in dark
a time or place of little or no light
the raiding party snuck up under cover of darkness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambiguity
the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning
the darkness of certain passages in the Book of Revelation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
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
Look to the southern sky as darkness falls on March 27 to see the thickening form of the waxing gibbous moon glowing close to the stars of the Beehive Cluster (M44) at the heart of the constellation Cancer, the crab.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2026
There will always be evil and darkness to overcome.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Hello darkness, my old friend, and all that.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
New hire Pumpkin questions their sisterhood, forcing them to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darkness
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2026
There will always be evil and darkness to overcome.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Hello darkness, my old friend, and all that.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
New hire Pumpkin questions their sisterhood, forcing them to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for darkness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkness
Noun
-
For a livelier summer scene, Soverato comes alive after dark.—
Jenna Curcio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Despite acknowledging that the DNA supports the presence of an unknown person at the scene, which strongly corroborates Zeigler’s claim that he was jumped by two dark blurs the night of the murders, the judge speculated that meant Zeigler probably hired someone to help with his crime.—
Gail Hollenbeck,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Words are better at suggesting ambiguity than plain numbers or emojis.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
And ambiguity versus clarity is key.—
Laura Brown,
Artforum,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Alex Bump and Sean Couturier scored in the first three minutes of the game and the Philadelphia Flyers used the fast start to cruise to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The Magic guard converted his first 3-pointer of the night but opened 1 for 5 from the floor to start.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Its home screen’s hourly forecast consists of temperatures, weather icons, and illustrative background visuals, such as gloomy rain clouds, that sometimes fail to match the view out the window.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
While there will be many more clouds than on Tuesday, the chance of rain is very low.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What are the shadows doing, coming off the ridges of those canyons?—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Riachi leaned into its shadows, installing panelling and perforated screens in American walnut, a timber chosen for its rich, timeless quality.—
Amy Bradford,
Architectural Digest,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An analysis earlier this year found that student loan defaults now occur every nine seconds, a rate that could cast a pall on Gen Z’s hopes for economic mobility well into the 2030s.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
There is a pall over the Make America Great Again, or MAGA, movement.—
Alex Hinton,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The film's opening two minutes play out in complete blackness, a picture-less overture showcasing legendary James Bond composer John Barry's majestic score.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
With the streets in pitch blackness, some neighbors said their cameras don't capture much more than the immediate surroundings of their home.—
Clara Migoya,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Darkness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkness. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
