1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
a tenebrous night with no moon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
in the midst of those tenebrous days Thomas Paine penned the immortal words "These are the times that try men's souls"
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 tenebrous
Her writing can be luminous or tenebrous as the mood requires.
—
The Know, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
For all its darkness, Mujica Lainez’s Duke of Bomarzo is a lantern that illuminates the place and period that brought us modernity and, as such, our tenebrous but also brilliant little lives.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
What tenebrous horror is this, emerging from the ineffable darkness?
—Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
By the same token, Spanish cinema at large has been reluctant to engage with that tenebrous period.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2021
As in the 1610 version, Susanna is seated on a balustrade, but this time there is a tenebrous sky, rather than a clear blue one.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020
The Know, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
For all its darkness, Mujica Lainez’s Duke of Bomarzo is a lantern that illuminates the place and period that brought us modernity and, as such, our tenebrous but also brilliant little lives.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
What tenebrous horror is this, emerging from the ineffable darkness?
—Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
By the same token, Spanish cinema at large has been reluctant to engage with that tenebrous period.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2021
As in the 1610 version, Susanna is seated on a balustrade, but this time there is a tenebrous sky, rather than a clear blue one.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenebrous
Adjective
-
Interestingly, Lorraine has taught Judy to ward off her frightening visions by using a nursery rhyme, effectively teaching her to suppress her dark side.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The Dolphins wear white jerseys at home for afternoon games, forcing opponents to wear darker colors that absorb more heat.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Gray tones, blacks, murky greens, and of course, the midnight blue complete the look.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
-
But after that, things get murky.—
Sarah Hutter,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Matters only got more bleak in the sixth, when Rushing fouled a ball off his right shin, smoking a ball right above where his guard ended and immediately going down in pain.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The one constant is the unhappy couple’s bleak surroundings.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Chapple, the late Queen’s beekeeper, went first to Clarence House and then Buckingham Palace to perform his somber duty of telling the bees, a centuries-old custom of informing the bees when their owner has died.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
News voices in the 1970's tended to be somber, accent-less, and almost exclusively male.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Tour can be lonely, even when you’re surrounded by people.—
Kim Gordon,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
-
But without the necessary business acumen in their teams, these technology leaders fight lonely battles.—
Alex Brueckmann,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Of course as their cross-country road trip progresses and Felice racks up first-round-loss after first-round-loss, Gatti’s louche lifestyle is revealed to have a darker, more depressive aspect.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
These issues ranged from academic difficulties and disruptive behaviors to depressive moods.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Silksong is steeped in religious imagery — desolate chapels, ringing church bells, even rosary beads that act as in-game currency.—
Keller Gordon,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Her haunting soprano ranged from desolate whispers to expansive belts.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Compelling, sure, but more depressing than funny.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The news is depressing, and now the Tribune is ignoring what is, for those who are not sports fans, their leading form of entertainment.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tenebrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenebrous. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share