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

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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

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 dark
Adjective
One look at his lone, dark face in his Brighton High class picture tells you. Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025 In pictures shared on Sunday, Aug. 10, Bieber wore a bright yellow sweatshirt, while the Rhode founder, 28, sported a white shirt and dark jeans. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
The chocolate is a custom blend of milk and dark that gives it a sharper flavor. David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025 Younger employees would flag in his wake as Lauder would visit store after store almost from dawn to dark, speaking with retail executives and customers to find out what the latest trends were. Pete Born, Footwear News, 15 June 2025
Noun
What’s Next In The Night Sky August is a perfect month for stargazing, with warm evenings and more hours of darkness than July. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Some bad guys operate during daytime hours, but most prefer the cover of darkness. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark
Adjective
  • In the dim lights of a Nashville bar or the buzz of a dorm social, a seemingly innocent sip can turn sinister if someone has access to your drink.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Big groups often dine under the dim lights while toasting martinis and Manhattans, but there’s a romantic air throughout (and a spartan little bar in the back).
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The all-star Back to the Beginning concert, which reportedly raised more than $190 million for charities, included Osbourne playing five songs from his solo career and four more with his original Sabbath bandmates while seated on a black throne.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Havaianas Keys flip-flop, in black, which was decked out with silver keys along the straps.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Directed by Paul Schrader with a script by Bret Easton Ellis, this spiritually bleak L.A. drama features Lohan’s most daring performance, and probably the only one that manages to break completely with her childhood and adolescent roles.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • The situation is bleak enough that, even if aid increases rapidly in the coming weeks, deaths from starvation are almost certain to rise.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But being silent and withdrawn is certainly not helpful either.
    Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • The out-loud goal is to make the playoffs, but the silent aspiration now is to simply avoid another losing season.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Whether the death was self-inflicted or by accident is ambiguous.
    Bryan West, The Tennessean, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The Supreme Court’s Loper Bright decision eliminated Chevron deference, sharply curtailing agencies’ ability to interpret ambiguous laws.
    AJ Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Joe is willfully ignorant—to national news and a lethal pandemic—but Aster didn’t write the character as a one-dimensional MAGA standee.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 17 July 2025
  • Yet Americans are surprisingly ignorant about our past.
    John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Adjective
  • As Wednesday processes this, the evil one-eyed crow shows up and flies off with her evidence in its beak.
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
  • An avatar for good and an embodiment of evil sit face-to-face, locked in an eternal clash of wills.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Earth features similarly murky visuals and fearsome monsters, many original to the show.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Even after signing a third NHL contract with the Leafs, Robertson’s future with the organization remains murky.
    Chris Johnston, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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