dawn 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dawnnext
1
as in sunrise
the first appearance of light in the morning or the time of its appearance we stayed up talking until dawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginning
the point at which something begins the dawn of civilization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dawn

2 of 2

verb

ˈdȯn How to pronounce dawn (audio)
as in to start
to come into existence a smile dawned on his face as he got the joke

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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 dawn
Noun
Similar worries trouble Muslim communities, whose mandatory morning recitations conclude precisely at dawn. — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 25 July 2026 Still, there are some animal behaviors that are perhaps easier to explain, such as mistakenly engaging in dusk or dawn routines. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 July 2026
Verb
The Crips and Bloods reached the apex of their Stockton influence in the 1980s and 1990s, Washington recalled, as the concept of fast money dawned along with the crack cocaine epidemic. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 June 2026 Once airborne, though, a sense of infinity dawned out the cockpit windows, and of sheer mass behind the pilots. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawn
  1. sunrise
  2. beginning
  3. start
  4. dawning
  5. inception
  6. begin
  7. day
  8. onset
Noun
  • Staterooms are boutique-hotel luxurious, featuring king beds and private balconies for sunrise coffees.
    — Stephanie Orma, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • More than 40 weekly fitness experiences invite guests to move with intention, from sunrise yoga and Pilates sessions to high-energy strength and conditioning classes led by expert instructors.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 31 July 2026
Definition of sunrise
Noun
  • Asking how your home will be promoted, and whether it will be listed in the MLS from the very beginning, can help ensure your property has the strongest possible start.
    — Heartland MLS®, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
  • The Bundesliga had only begun in 1963, marking the true beginning of professionalism.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Viterbi started writing the play in San Diego, and then COVID hit.
    — Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 27 July 2026
  • Willow exploded on Thekla to start the match and pounced her out of the ring.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of start
Noun
  • The quiet moments, the grief, the slow dawning of realization that her husband had written this piece as a way of dealing with his grief and her anger.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Ever enterprising, Toha does eventually make her way back to the party, but there, the ultimate dawning of her place outside of Nelly’s circle is heartbreaking.
    — Alissa Simon, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of dawning
Noun
  • Another chapter to Sunday’s story was the Reign’s comfort against the Wave that goes back to the Wave’s inception.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
  • Some of the Coral Reefers have been with the band since its inception in the 1970s, but the lineup has changed a few times over the years.
    — Jake Harris July 26, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
Definition of inception
Verb
  • Joe Mack and Xavier Edwards added RBI singles later in the fifth for the Marlins, who began the day 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia and Arizona for the final two NL playoff spots.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The festival began as a seasonal attraction but has grown into a Kansas City-area family tradition centered on education and close encounters with butterflies.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of begin
Noun
  • The food comes in and is sorted within four hours, to be delivered by drivers five days a week.
    — Zuri Primos July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
  • His father, a firefighter, did construction work on his days off.
    — Lisa Song, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • That was, until she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease at 34 years old.
    — WUFT News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
  • But since Tusker’s early-onset dementia diagnosis their lives have changed forever.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 July 2026
Definition of onset

Phrases Containing dawn

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dawdling
dawn
dawned
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Cite this Entry

“Dawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawn. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dawn

Nglish: Translation of dawn for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dawn

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