black 1 of 3

adjective

ˈblak How to pronounce black (audio)
Definition of blacknext
1
as in ebony
having the color of soot or coal we adopted a little black kitten

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2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the Friday of the stock market crash was indeed a black day for the country

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3
as in swarthy
not having a light complexion a black Irishman, Tyrone Power had the classic looks of a Hollywood leading man

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4
as in darkened
being without light or without much light on a black night such as this, the imagination runs wild

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5
as in blackened
not clean after mopping the floor, the water in the bucket was black

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black

2 of 3

noun

as in blackness
a time or place of little or no light we had to find our way on back roads in the black of night

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black

3 of 3

verb

chiefly British
as in to boycott

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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 black
Adjective
Associated Press reporters saw thick black smoke rising from cars, bicycles and other vehicles, and trash bins on fire. — Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 The suspect was seen wearing red pants, a red hoodie and a black jacket vest with a black facemask. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
The pieces also follow the designers’ evolution from the straightforward blacks to use of color to increasingly sculptural shapes. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 He was dressed like a director, in blacks and blues—jeans, baseball cap, puffer coat, Hokas—but spoke and moved at the unhurried pace of a novelist, his original vocation. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for black
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black
  1. ebony
  2. dark
  3. darkened
  4. blackened
  5. blackness
  6. boycott
  7. raven
  8. gray
Adjective
  • The pieces selected by Roach included a pink opal bracelet contrasted by ebony wood and pavé diamonds and complementary large pink opal earrings accented with diamond pavé.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The venerable patriarch is leaning heavily on an ebony cane, and is followed closely by his personal assistant, a bald gnome of a man, armed with a notebook and pencil.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Definition of ebony
Adjective
  • In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Connie Britton and Sam Nivola lead the series created by Nick Paley that blends mystery, dark comedy and the awkwardness of adolescence.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Around them stand darkened houses, and uncollected trash piles up on the street.
    — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of blackened
Noun
  • Nori of a perfect blackness, death-like, without the green glints of more common seaweed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The surf was raging, completely enveloping the craft with only the swaying masts visible in the blackness of the night.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of blackness
Verb
  • Beyond opposing the state takeover, CVPE advocates against mandatory STAAR testing and urges parents to boycott the exams.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The cancelation comes following a number of pledges to boycott Israeli film institutions signed by actors including Javier Bardem and Emma Stone.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of boycott
Adjective
  • Earlier this season, Jackie and Shadow laid four eggs, but two were destroyed during a raven attack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Earlier this season, the pair laid four eggs, but two were destroyed during a raven attack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of raven
Adjective
  • Video of the incident obtained by CBS News showed a group of around 20 masked men clad in black or gray clothes descending a hill from the area of an Israeli settlement outpost into an olive grove near the Palestinian village of Abu Falah.
    — Dov Lieber, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Yellow police tape cordoned off the property, where several vehicles were parked in the driveway, including a white Toyota SUV, a gray BMW SUV and a black Range Rover.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of gray

Phrases Containing black

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blabs
black
black-and-white
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Cite this Entry

“Black.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black

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