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dusk 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdəsk How to pronounce dusk (audio)
Definition of dusknext
as in darkened
being without light or without much light under a dusk sky, the campers wearily bedded down for the night

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dusk

2 of 3

noun

1
as in sunset
the time from when the sun begins to set to the onset of total darkness we stopped playing at dusk, since it was getting too dark to see the ball

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2
as in night
a time or place of little or no light legends of fearsome beasts living in the dusk of the great forest

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3
as in shade
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays the forbidding dusk of Germany's famed Black Forest

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dusk

3 of 3

verb

as in to darken
to grow dark the grief-stricken woman continued to sit in the dusking room until she was completely enveloped in darkness

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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 dusk
Adjective
Mylar space blankets draped across their shoulders glistened a surreal golden hue as the vessel’s blinding strobe lights illuminated the post-dusk spectacle. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2021 Forgive me for skipping dinner, but my pre-dusk meals were simply not going to be outshone. — Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 22 Aug. 2021
Noun
Adriatic sage brings the outdoors in—this candle smells like an open window in the height of Italian summer, sunlight on tile floors, and triple servings of pasta to come in the late dusk. — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026 In fact, even as late as mid-November, the Triangle is still nearly overhead soon after sunset at dusk. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026 The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers. — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dusk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dusk
  1. darkened
  2. sunset
  3. night
  4. shade
  5. darken
  6. dark
  7. twilight
  8. shadows
Adjective
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of darkened
Noun
  • Their journey to rural Massachusetts to confront a family curse evokes the danger of historic ‘sundown towns,’ where Black travelers were not permitted to be outside past sunset.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Solar panels generate electricity only when sunlight is available, but power demand can remain high after sunset or rise sharply at other times of the day.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of sunset
Noun
  • With the town motel still not having been rebuilt, John stays at Hal’s for the night, where feeding his carnivorous alien plant Earl helps the former hero’s demise truly set in.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Projections by public broadcaster ARD on Sunday night indicated that Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, came in with just 5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania -- the lowest result since World War II for the party in any state.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of night
Noun
  • There are molten metallics in approachable shades (gold, silver, bronze) and artsier ones too (rainbow chrome, lilac, fuchsia).
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The shoes are crafted from leather in an eggshell shade, with a studded finish and a double-buckle detail strap that fastens across the instep.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of shade
Verb
  • Some woods are very photosensitive, like cherry and walnut, but cherry darkens with sun exposure while walnut fades.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026
  • China’s growth target is already its lowest since 1991, and the economic picture is darkened further by a real estate downturn that is straining local government finances and undercutting spending capacity, Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of darken
Adjective
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass walls let a lot of light into the space, which is decorated in tones of gray, with dark wood herring bone floors in the bar.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In its concluding episodes, the HBO juggernaut thrust an unearned heel turn on its female lead, rendered its climactic battle so dark viewers couldn’t see it, and ended over 70 hours of buildup with a rando on the Iron Throne.
    — Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • To find it, look low above the southwestern horizon after sunset, where Venus will be easy to spot despite the lingering twilight.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • But there have also been many mid-30s former All-Stars who couldn’t muster anything remotely close to greatness during their twilight tours with the Heat.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of twilight
Noun
  • The Supreme Court continues to make consequential rulings in the shadows.
    — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 21 Sep. 2026
  • His favorite target, CeeDee Lamb, emerged from the shadows with a breakout game that restores his stature among the NFL’s top wideouts in just one game.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of shadows

Browse Nearby Words

during
dusk
dusked
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Cite this Entry

“Dusk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dusk. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dusk

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dusk

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