darkness

noun

ˈdärk-nəs How to pronounce darkness (audio)
Definition of darknessnext
1
as in dark
a time or place of little or no light the raiding party snuck up under cover of darkness

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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

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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

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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

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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 Once the clocks fall back in November, though, earlier darkness allows the theater to squeeze in as many as three. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 The name of the group correlates with God, Quigley said, referring to the light over darkness. — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026 Arlington National Cemetery rests in purposeful darkness at night. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 Keep mums away from porch lights and street lights because interrupted darkness can hinder blooming. — Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darkness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkness
  1. dark
  2. ambiguity
  3. night
  4. cloud
  5. shadows
  6. mysteriousness
  7. pall
  8. blackness
Noun
  • Animal control officials believe the animal would not have survived the night had he not been found before dark.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Next shows for Artistic Home The Artistic Home theater company is bringing the long-dark Lookingglass Studio Theatre back to life, though.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • As is the case with all of OTC’s previous music, part of the charm is its swirling ambiguity, but this time there’s additional poignance in the backstory.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Nothing was stable, every framework was being rebuilt in real time and the only thing that separated functional teams from struggling ones was behavioral reliability under extreme ambiguity.
    — Amy Alexy, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of ambiguity
Noun
  • Likely voters who decided which candidate to support only recently in seven key Senate races favor Republicans despite an overall Democratic advantage, according to a new poll released Sunday night.
    — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The following year, Moore returned as a counselor and was accused of entering campers’ rooms at night, but no abuse was reported.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of night
Noun
  • This time of year is notorious for clouds moving in over the Great Lakes.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • All clouds at heights where temperatures dip below freezing have the potential to create icing conditions, according to the FAA, and icing can happen any time of year if the conditions are right.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of cloud
Noun
  • If there's snow on the ground, check for shadows made by Venus's light.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Rattlesnakes are lazy hunters that wait in the shadows for prey to approach.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of shadows
Noun
  • That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.
    — Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of mysteriousness
Noun
  • The Republican candidate has been hobbling through the race, with lackluster fundraising and a long history of personal and legal scandals casting a pall over his candidacy.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The play cast a pall over the rest of the game, but Oregon backup quarterback Dylan Raiola managed to throw for 289 yards and two touchdowns against USC’s defense.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of pall
Noun
  • Passengers will experience a few minutes of weightlessness and get to see the curve of Earth against the blackness of space before coming down for a runway landing back at Spaceport America.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Nori of a perfect blackness, death-like, without the green glints of more common seaweed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of blackness

Browse Nearby Words

darkly
darkness
darks
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Cite this Entry

“Darkness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkness. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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