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

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Bua About Town Movies Until the dawn of the talkies, a movie without live music was rare. — Jane Bua, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026 The building’s three lower floors, including a ground-floor shop, caved in before dawn in the district of Maltepe, on the Asian side of Istanbul, a city that is bisected by the Bosporus Strait. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
The heightened visibility of it all has divided some elders who, after living through periods of persecution, worry a new such era could dawn. — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 When the age of book promotion scams dawned, an AI engine clearly had read the book but did not know that Orwell had died in 1950. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 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
  • Friday will see a brief warm front slide through around sunrise before a cold front moves through around noon.
    — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The phenomenon occurs when rocket exhaust expands in the thin upper atmosphere and catches sunlight before sunrise.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sunrise
Noun
  • So, Ohtani kept trying to work his way back to the mound for weeks after receiving a lubricating Orthovisc injection in his knee at the beginning of the All-Star break.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The October introduction marks the beginning of a broader evolution for Lune+Aster, with additional innovation planned across complexion, eye and lip categories through 2027.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Some of the best philanthropy starts from a place of personal connection.
    — Melissa Stevens, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • But a new federal political action committee gives him a way to start building beyond Pennsylvania.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 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
  • McKenzie went 17 for 28 with 295 yards and two inceptions for the Eagles (3-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Since their inception, smart glasses have struggled to erase their reputation as a privacy concern.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of inception
Verb
  • Years ago, Maximilian Schnell left his job and his life in Paris and began a nomadic lifestyle on his bicycle.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Tesla began taking $50,000 reservations—or $250,000 for one of 1,000 limited Founders Series cars—and targeted a 2020 launch.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of begin
Noun
  • Trump’s announcement during his second trip to Ohio in two weeks was prompted by an August presidential memorandum directing administration officials to identify a suitable location for the component repair center within 90 days.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • British indie film stalwart Raindance is launching Raindance Vertical, a one-day festival and financing market in London for vertical film and series.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • With the onset of the autumn agricultural harvest and winter heating seasons, domestic distillate inventories, including diesel, continue to trend downward.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This meant that a succession of actors played Arnold over the years, until their voices changed with the onset of puberty.
    — Darryn King, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dawn

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dawn

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