as in dawn
the first appearance of light in the morning or the time of its appearance
the cold, gray dawning of a wintry day
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in beginning
to come into existence
a smile dawned on his face as he got the joke
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of dawning
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The dawning of light in this actor’s eyes breathes life into the old tale.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
On social media, some people even suggested this was the dawning of a new populist coalition of left and right.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 30 Nov. 2025
As the sun rises behind the ELT, the image stands for the dawning of a new era in astronomical discovery.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2025
This is the dawning of the age of school choice.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
If the excitement of Lionel Messi’s 2023 debut in MLS felt like the dawning of a new era, Son’s welcome was a reminder that the league still has plenty of room to grow — even two years after the greatest player of all time landed on its shores.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2025
That rite-of-passage dawning hits harder than usual in light of the tragedy awaiting the family.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2025
Alison Herman, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
Advertisement These moves reflect a dawning recognition that the old assumptions underpinning global business have been shattered.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
What finally brought him back to reality, Daniel said, was his dawning realization of the growing weight of his decisions — most crucially, losing his job and income — and the impact of his crisis on his relationships.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 15 Jan. 2026
Other countries around the world are taking notes as Australia explores new territory that some say mirrors safety evolutions of years past – the dawning realization that maybe cars need safety belts, and that perhaps cigarettes should come with some kind of health warning.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
As a woman whose dawning realization infests and wrenches apart her family, Collette turns in one of the most towering horror performances in memory.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
In June, 1952, Ebony announced that a new era was dawning.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
The hair that would otherwise sprout from his postpubescent body has been replaced by the residues of fire—that Promethean symbol of dawning human specialness.
—Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Jolie nonetheless manages to bring some palpable life to the role, complicating her otherworldly magnetism with a dawning dread and sorrow.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
From the origins of the Yakuza, the dawning of chemical warfare, and FDR’s spy shops, the novel treks across World War II to the dawn of the Cold War.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The dawning of light in this actor’s eyes breathes life into the old tale.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
On social media, some people even suggested this was the dawning of a new populist coalition of left and right.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 30 Nov. 2025
As the sun rises behind the ELT, the image stands for the dawning of a new era in astronomical discovery.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2025
This is the dawning of the age of school choice.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
If the excitement of Lionel Messi’s 2023 debut in MLS felt like the dawning of a new era, Son’s welcome was a reminder that the league still has plenty of room to grow — even two years after the greatest player of all time landed on its shores.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2025
That rite-of-passage dawning hits harder than usual in light of the tragedy awaiting the family.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
Season 1 had an ideal structure in the trio of obstacles engineered by Alexandre, dovetailing with Camille and Issei’s dawning acceptance of each other as allies instead of enemies.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
Advertisement These moves reflect a dawning recognition that the old assumptions underpinning global business have been shattered.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
What finally brought him back to reality, Daniel said, was his dawning realization of the growing weight of his decisions — most crucially, losing his job and income — and the impact of his crisis on his relationships.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 15 Jan. 2026
Other countries around the world are taking notes as Australia explores new territory that some say mirrors safety evolutions of years past – the dawning realization that maybe cars need safety belts, and that perhaps cigarettes should come with some kind of health warning.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
As a woman whose dawning realization infests and wrenches apart her family, Collette turns in one of the most towering horror performances in memory.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
In June, 1952, Ebony announced that a new era was dawning.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
The hair that would otherwise sprout from his postpubescent body has been replaced by the residues of fire—that Promethean symbol of dawning human specialness.
—Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Jolie nonetheless manages to bring some palpable life to the role, complicating her otherworldly magnetism with a dawning dread and sorrow.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawning
Noun
-
At the dawn of the nuclear age, scientists created the Doomsday Clock as a symbolic representation of how close humanity is to destroying the world.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Since the dawn of time, English teachers have instructed students to avoid cliché.—
Katie Kadue,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After a major storm blankets Connecticut with more than a foot of snow beginning Sunday, arctic air will create dangerously cold conditions that poses health and safety risks to anyone exposed to the bitter cold.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Read more Now that opening-day speeches and start-of-session ceremonies are out of the way, the Colorado legislature’s work is beginning to spin up in earnest.—
The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Team building began Friday at sunrise, when players gathered at the SDSU practice fields to begin nine weeks of winter workouts.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
New snow totals were expected after sunrise.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kyiv, which has grappled with severe power shortages this winter, is forecast to enter a brutally cold stretch starting Friday that is expected to last into next week.—
AAMER MADHANI AND SUSIE BLANN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
And that leader was starting running back Chuba Hubbard, who carried a simple message.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The college reported a count of 8,364 students enrolled for academic credit on the 11th day of classes during the 2025 spring semester.—
Edward McKinnon,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Rooney went on record a few days earlier to say the door is open for a return.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But that changed in 2022 in a decision arising from another case involving a juvenile offender from San Diego.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The court challenges kept that situation from ever arising.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On the morn of Liberation Day, Trump called out four other Republican senators — Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitch McConnell — for pushing back on his plan.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2025
-
The light green safari shade is especially fun, or go for an aquatic vibe with the icy morn/sea wave two-combo.—
Rena Behar,
Travel + Leisure,
26 May 2023
Verb
-
In his late 20s at the time, Murdoch was commencing a staggering hot streak that would last roughly a decade.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Pitchfork,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Indiana and Miami begin the semester on January 12, with Ole Miss commencing January 20.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dawning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawning. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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