1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
with its only light burned out, the closet was pitch-dark
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Recent Examples of pitch-dark
The play opens in a pitch-dark, three-star-hotel room, a step down for a bereaved family that has lost its patriarch and, as important, its promised inheritance.
—
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
On school days, that meant waking up in pitch-dark and walking to the bus stop with a flashlight.
—Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026
Fittingly, the song’s thumping beat is heard twice, real loud, in Rosebush Pruning, Karim Aїnouz’s high-gloss, pitch-dark satire about an American family described by one of its scions as mediocre, vapid egotists, who will never have to work thanks to a large inheritance.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
In the pitch-dark room, Heath remembers hearing the call to prayer in the morning.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Despite hundreds of Americans being fired or suspended by employers as a result, the pitch-dark humor that permeates our social media ecosystem was not to be suppressed.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2025
One of the officers, a special-forces commando who discussed the operation on condition of anonymity, recalls lying in the pitch-dark belly of a river barge alongside dozens of his comrades, all of them armed to the hilt, eyeing one another through night-vision goggles.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Berger based his claim on the fossils being found in narrow, pitch-dark chambers, far from natural entrances or evidence of animal activity.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
On a Saturday morning in July, my mom’s silhouette appears in the doorway of my pitch-dark childhood bedroom.
—Caitlin Gunther, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2022
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
On school days, that meant waking up in pitch-dark and walking to the bus stop with a flashlight.
—Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026
Fittingly, the song’s thumping beat is heard twice, real loud, in Rosebush Pruning, Karim Aїnouz’s high-gloss, pitch-dark satire about an American family described by one of its scions as mediocre, vapid egotists, who will never have to work thanks to a large inheritance.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
In the pitch-dark room, Heath remembers hearing the call to prayer in the morning.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Despite hundreds of Americans being fired or suspended by employers as a result, the pitch-dark humor that permeates our social media ecosystem was not to be suppressed.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2025
One of the officers, a special-forces commando who discussed the operation on condition of anonymity, recalls lying in the pitch-dark belly of a river barge alongside dozens of his comrades, all of them armed to the hilt, eyeing one another through night-vision goggles.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Berger based his claim on the fossils being found in narrow, pitch-dark chambers, far from natural entrances or evidence of animal activity.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
On a Saturday morning in July, my mom’s silhouette appears in the doorway of my pitch-dark childhood bedroom.
—Caitlin Gunther, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitch-dark
Adjective
-
In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In between, there are even taller art sculptures in red, green, or black colors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
There are black mold deposits in the water, in the drinking water.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The rooms In darker hues with lots of hardwood and colorful fabrics, the rooms here don’t fall into your standard contemporary look.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
Forty-four of the 89 counties along Route 66 were sundown towns, communities where it was encouraged for Black people to leave before dark — or else.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
These robot systems possess the digital instincts to interpret shifting shadows, navigate unpredictable debris, and make decisions in pitch-black environments — turning hazardous isolation into an accessible workspace.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The pitch-black comedy from Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as Emma and Charlie, a Boston couple preparing for their wedding.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Details about the underlying allegation remain murky, but the department sources familiar with the matter said the LAPD’s secretive Special Operations Division tailed officers who were under investigation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
He’s offered a murky definition of a ceasefire.—
Ben Finley,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pitch-dark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitch-dark. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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