dark 1 of 3

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as in black
not having a light complexion he was tall, dark, and handsome

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
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as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable dark deeds that resulted in the Russian czar being known to history as Ivan the Terrible

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dark

2 of 3

noun (1)

darkness

3 of 3

noun (2)

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3
as in nighttime
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

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 dark
Adjective
During the long polar nights, the Northern Lights can appear any time after dark, painting the sky with vibrant colors. AFAR Media, 26 June 2025 However, there are lingering threats of electronic interference that can impact a ship’s navigation systems with high levels reported during dark periods, JMIC says. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 June 2025
Noun
These award-winning beers hail from multiple countries and range from dark to light lagers and draw on a diverse range of traditional and modern brewing techniques. Erik Ofgang, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025 High above Chicago, in the predawn dark, flew an airborne river of migratory birds. Vincent Alban, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Noun
Both in covert missions under the cover of darkness and right out in the open, Oakmont’s trees all came down. Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 June 2025 New footage captured by wildcat conservation organization Panthera, in collaboration with Senegal's National Parks Directorate (DPN), revealed the moment a male elephant called Ousmane moved through the darkness. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark
Adjective
  • Through the park fence, across Essex Street, and up on the sixth floor of a prewar building hung their small, dim apartment.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2025
  • Our plants cannot go from dim, indoor lighting to super bright full sun outside.
    Dr. Matthew Lisy, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Leavitt held up the note to reporters, which appeared to have been written by Trump using his signature black Sharpie.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 30 June 2025
  • And, in addition to versatile black or white, the range now includes 12 total color options, including vibrant red, blue, and hot pink.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • During that bleak era, Che-Chung Tsai, a researcher at the University of Washington, contacted several companies, seeking experimental drugs for use in an animal study.
    Jon Cohen, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
  • That said, Google’s latest survey paints a bleak picture.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Occidental Studios, which dates back to 1913, was once used by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to make silent films.
    Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
  • The main lot of Occidental Studios, a complex near downtown Los Angeles that touts its legacy dating back to the silent film era, is on the market.
    Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • These beers had previously been included within larger, more ambiguous lager categories for the Great American Beer Festival competition, but the Brewers Association says the uniqueness and growing popularity of these styles warrants individual guideline recognition.
    Don Tse, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Tipping for other services may be more ambiguous and recommended as a dollar amount instead, like $10 per hour or $5 per bag carried or shuttle driven.
    Katie Kelton, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025
Adjective
  • The former Fox host Tucker Carlson, who opposed such an operation, sparred with two boosters: the current Fox host Mark Levin, and the Republican senator Ted Cruz, whom Carlson revealed to be ignorant of basic facts about Iran in a clip that went viral.
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 27 June 2025
  • Maybe LLMs get us 80% of the way there without any oversight, but skipping the context and being completely ignorant of what the machine is doing is typically not a good idea, partly for the reasons that the panelists laid out.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • After an early tutorial sequence where players learn the ropes of controlling the powerful yet agile ape, the story introduces its antagonists: Void Company, an evil corporate mining operation hell-bent on creating a golden banana monopoly.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
  • Idaho senators denounce 'evil attack' in Idaho that killed firefighters 12:44 PM EDT Zohran Mamdani not fully embraced by top New York Democrats Zohran Mamdani has not yet been fully embraced by top New York Democrats after his apparent victory in the New York City mayoral primary last week.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Rules and regulations regarding international flight cancellations are a little murky.
    Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2025
  • Her eyes were murky green and always cast upward and to the left.
    Ottessa Moshfegh, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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