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
But the switch from an anything goes summer sleep schedule to a morning routine that requires waking up at what feels like the crack of dawn to get to school on time doesn’t help matters, either. — Parents, 17 July 2026 Iran retaliated with missile and drone fire targeting Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait before dawn and warned its attacks may escalate. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 16 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
  • Malaysian photographer Teoh Hui Chieh created a stunning time-lapse video of an Australian annular solar eclipse transpiring at sunrise in 2013.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 July 2026
  • Each day at the rescue begins before sunrise as volunteers prepare formula and feed the growing herd of young deer.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 16 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
  • Torres – one of Barcelona’s key men up front – had been having an awful tournament, missing a plethora of chances throughout Spain’s campaign and being benched after starting against Cape Verde.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake until the tomatoes begin to burst and the gnocchi start to sizzle, about 15 minutes.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 20 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
  • The city has issued roughly 60,000 zero-fine warnings since the program’s inception, in addition to warnings issued during grace periods at the start of the program, according to the data.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • Missouri farmers have implemented more than 295,000 conservation practices since its inception in 1984, which the Department of Natural Resources says stopped more than 194 million tons of soil from erosion.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of inception
Verb
  • In addition to its ongoing pursuit of LeBron James, the Heat also would like to add another veteran shooter and another veteran big man but might begin the season with only 14 under contract.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026 and be completed by early 2027.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of begin
Noun
  • But its crude imports have fallen dramatically during the course of the war, tumbling below 8 million barrels per day from more than 12 million a day before the war, according to maritime data company Signal Ocean Research.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The following auction climbed further, to just over $329 per megawatt-day for 2026/2027, the market's price cap for a second consecutive year.
    — Anna Demeo, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • The Mayo Clinic states that early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is a rare form of dementia that affects people younger than age 65.
    — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • The movie houses closed at the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 21 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 23 Jul. 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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