darken

verb

dark·​en ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
darkened; darkening ˈdär-kə-niŋ How to pronounce darken (audio)
Synonyms of darkennext

intransitive verb

1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened

transitive verb

1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
3
: taint, tarnish
darkened his reputation
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
darkener
ˈdär-kə-nər How to pronounce darken (audio)
noun

Synonyms of darken

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Examples of darken in a Sentence

The sky darkened and it started to rain. Her face darkens to a deep red when she gets angry. The wood will darken as it ages. The bad news darkened his mood. The last days of her life were darkened by illness. His mood darkened after he heard the bad news.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Add tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until darkened in color, 2 to 4 minutes. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026 Saturn is evident for much of the night, appearing low in the eastern sky as the sky darkens and reaching its highest point in the southern sky soon after midnight. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 During a partial lunar eclipse that peaked just after midnight on Friday, Earth’s shadow darkened parts of the moon’s visible surface. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 By Ryan Spencer, Summit Daily As millions of birds start to head south for the winter, Coloradans are turning off outdoor lights to help darken the path for these nocturnal migrators. — The Summit Daily, Denver Post, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darken

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of darken was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing darken

Rhymes for darken

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Browse Nearby Words

dark current
darken
darkener
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Cite this Entry

“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

darken

verb
dark·​en ˈdär-kən How to pronounce darken (audio)
darkened; darkening ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce darken (audio)
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
darkener
ˈdärk-(ə-)nər How to pronounce darken (audio)
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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