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 Outside, darkness settled, the light from the window reflecting off the canal as the crowd gathered on the quay and bridge. Vic O'Sullivan, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2026 But, mom, though we are surrounded by so much darkness and uncertainty, our love burns bright. Sumiko Corley, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026 Outside, nothing but darkness — and the illuminated lights of Dubai port. Francesca Street, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026 But Mom, though we are surrounded by so much darkness and uncertainty, our love burns bright. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darkness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkness
Noun
  • Nocturnal tornadoes and tornado outbreaks What surprises many people isn’t just tornadoes – but tornadoes that hit after dark.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Sort your laundry — but not by color The once cardinal rule of separating darks from whites before washing them has flown the coop.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The text is not without ambiguity.
    Cass Sunstein, Big Think, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The magic act of Okri’s writing is his ability to maintain ambiguity while always keeping his language limpid and direct.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Vote counting would begin immediately after the ballot boxes are collected and transported to counting centers across the Himalayan nation, which could be as early as Thursday night.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The Heat will travel to play the Hornets in Charlotte on Friday night on the back end of a back-to-back set.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Under the late afternoon clouds, the water appears murky, too dark to hold a reflection of the soot- and algae-stained warehouses on the pier.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
  • That is central to Apple's push to make the Mac a more credible platform for running advanced AI tools locally — an increasingly important capability for businesses that want to keep sensitive data off cloud servers.
    MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • They were hidden in DART’s original photos, but UMD researchers Tony Farnham and Juan Rizos developed techniques to remove shadows and lighting effects.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Titled ClairObscur, it was dedicated to illuminating forms of character through the exploration of shadows, in part inspired by the dramatic tenebrism of Caravaggio.
    Luke Leitch, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • For some who performed the religious rituals, the war roiling the region has cast a pall on their experience of visiting the kingdom's holy sites.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • But its fight with the Pentagon now casts a pall over that prospect.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Feb. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Darkness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkness. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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