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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 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
Dawn and dusk are when mosquitoes are most active, and times to avoid being outdoors. — Reeti Malhotra july 8, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Once dusk sets in, shimmy up to the moody Club Room for jazz and cocktails, candlelit. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 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
  • When And Where To Look The sight of a crescent moon and Venus will be on display low in the west, as seen from mid-north latitudes, from about 45 minutes after sunset for about an hour.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • For a perfect Meredith day, kayak to nearby Stonedam Island and back, then go for a sunset dinner cruise on the historic M/S Mount Washington.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026
Definition of sunset
Noun
  • What makes this harder to believe is that the night before, Gavin accused Kenny of lying to him for years, and Kenny likened him to Bernie Madoff.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 July 2026
  • The fire, which broke out on Sunday night, killed at least 32 people and left more than 70 injured, 24 of whom are still in critical condition, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
Definition of night
Noun
  • Homes with too little tree coverage or that get a lot of direct afternoon sun will absorb more radiant heat that a home with natural shade.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 17 July 2026
  • As the sun moves across the sky, the dual awnings help maintain shade from different angles.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 July 2026
Definition of shade
Verb
  • In these areas, petunias won’t grow as well when temperatures fall to 40°F; the plants will darken, turn limp and mushy, and die away with the first hard frost.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
  • Sun exposure can darken new scars permanently and slow their healing, so Min recommended keeping them covered as much as possible.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 13 July 2026
Definition of darken
Adjective
  • Aerial footage showed heavy damage to the suspect's vehicle, a dark gray sedan.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • They're headed to a battery recycler who will shred them into a fine, dark powder called black mass, from which those minerals can be recovered and reused in new batteries.
    — Camila Domonoske, NPR, 13 July 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • In those places, day will briefly turn to twilight and, in a clear sky, the sun’s corona will become visible around the moon for up to 2 minutes 18 seconds.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • In late twilight, both planet and star will be readily visible to the unaided eye.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of twilight
Noun
  • But out of the shadows emerges a former soldier known only as Berry, who starts building a secret resistance network.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Blume’s unobtrusive handiwork lifts Show Me the Body out of the shadows without sun-bleaching their craggy exterior.
    — Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026
Definition of shadows

Browse Nearby Words

during
dusk
dusked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dusk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dusk. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dusk

Nglish: Translation of dusk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dusk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All