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

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

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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
So, rise before the first blush of dawn, seek out a clear east-northeast horizon, and let the morning sky reward your early vigil. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 July 2026 With a new era about to dawn at Anfield following the appointment of new head coach Andoni Iraola, leaving now makes sense. — James Pearce, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Verb
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 Léa Seydoux gives a very committed, unaffected performance as Lucy, an experimental pianist who must deal with the dawning knowledge that her beloved husband Philip (Laurence Rupp) has a second life online as a pedophile pornographer. — Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 15 May 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
  • The new space is intended to hold free community programming, with potential activities including sunrise yoga, farmers markets, family movie nights, nonprofit events and cultural festivals.
    — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026
  • Lorenzo Salgado Araujo worked for 35 years from sunrise to sunset to send all three of his American citizen sons to college.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Definition of sunrise
Noun
  • Michelle Branch is going back to her electric blue beginnings.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
  • So the players have to lose every contest once to get to Room 8 and discover how to claim ultimate victory, then win every contest to get back to the beginning and correctly count some rice.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Available cruises on Legend currently start at $773 per person based on double occupancy, including taxes and fees, according to Royal Caribbean’s website.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • El Niño is expected to prolong an existing unrelated marine heat wave that would otherwise typically start fading between October and December, scientists say.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 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
  • Some team executives and agents have considered the second apron, set at just under $222 million this coming season, as a de facto hard cap since its inception.
    — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026
Definition of inception
Verb
  • The foursome began a two-year, multi-million-dollar journey that preserved the building’s original craftsmanship while modernizing the design, plumbing, and electrical.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Crews from multiple local and state agencies began an extensive search, and his body was recovered early Monday, family members confirmed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
Definition of begin
Noun
  • But, over the past several weeks, 200 million barrels of oil came out of the strait — adding 17 days of supply, according to Lipow Oil Associates.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • The hours between finishing work for the day and going out to dinner are the calm before the storm.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • At this pace, yearly domestic grosses are expected to hit $10 billion for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but various treatment options, such as prescription medications, may be available to patients to maintain brain health, delay symptom onset or manage symptoms, the agency says.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 14 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 17 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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