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
Debbie is kind of that other extreme, with the dawn of MTV as a big inspiration. — Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026 The agency also recommends trimming tall grass and weeds, checking window and door screens and limiting outdoor activity around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus are most active. — Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
As October dawned, Clinton held a lead but not an overwhelming one. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026 The day dawned with rumors that the couple might have already said their vows ahead of the big event in New York. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 July 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
  • Sunlight bent and filtered through Earth's atmosphere leaks into the shadow, carrying the red-orange glow of every sunrise and sunset around the world.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Observed from lower latitudes, the orbital parade of satellites would peak in brightness at sunrise and sunset; toward the poles, the constellations would be bright and visible for most of the night during winter and the equinoxes.
    — Arielle Frommer, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of sunrise
Noun
  • Many of England’s players only arrived at their club’s pre-season camps at the beginning of August, three weeks after many sides saw the bulk of their squads return.
    — George Edwards, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Jurors were shown a photo of a green body bag at the beginning of her questioning, followed by a grisly photo of his body.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • If the plans to destroy the theater are followed through, the process will, ironically, have to start with an excavation.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • One of President Vladimir Putin’s key goals in starting a war with Russia’s neighbor in February 2022 was to place Kyiv in Moscow’s orbit.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 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
  • This month marks the 50th anniversary of the inception of the first stock index fund.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • From its inception, Veterans Stadium was intended to be a monument for the people of Long Beach, living and dead.
    — Kate Raphael, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of inception
Verb
  • That approach could help developers identify infrastructure constraints before construction begins.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Dehqani said reconstruction work began immediately after the refinery was hit during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of begin
Noun
  • But Moores would express misery in recalling ballpark-construction hassles and MLB politics that frustrated his advocacy of small-market clubs and game-day affordability.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • However, parents should be extra vigilant because this is also an accident-prone day for your kids.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • And while early-onset Alzheimer’s is rare, that doesn’t mean women should ignore changes that genuinely concern them.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Chronic absenteeism – referring to students who miss 10% or more days of the school year – has become one of the most urgent problems across American schools since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
    — Jerome A. Graham, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of onset

Phrases Containing dawn

Browse Nearby Words

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 26 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dawn

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dawn

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