blacken

verb

ˈbla-kən How to pronounce blacken (audio)
Definition of blackennext
1
as in to stain
to make dirty blackened the towels with their dirty hands

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2
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation

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3
as in to darken
to make dark, dim, or indistinct thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles

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4
as in to dusk
to grow dark the auditorium blackened suddenly, and a spotlighted performer appeared alone on stage

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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 blacken If basil is exposed to freezing temperatures, the result is frost damage that can cause leaves to blacken. — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 26 July 2026 Large sections of the ceiling were destroyed, blackened and charred, while the floor and tables below, some still with beer bottles on them, were blanketed in ash and debris. — ABC News, 13 July 2026 Pictures shared on social media after the fire was extinguished showed chairs and tables inside the pub completely charred and blackened, with parts of the ceiling peeling off. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026 Check monthly for signs of shriveling (add moisture), blackening or softening (discard). — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for blacken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blacken
  1. stain
  2. libel
  3. darken
  4. dirty
  5. smear
  6. obscure
  7. besmirch
  8. humiliate
Verb
  • The Lincoln, the length of its hull stained by rust from the extended time at sea, pulled into the port of Laem Chabang, not far from the city of Pattaya, a prime destination for US military rest-and-relaxation visits since the Vietnam War.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The white cocoons are torn through and stained with yellow-brown secretions.
    — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.
    — George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of libel
Verb
  • 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
Definition of darken
Verb
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
  • The zipper shoe compartment keeps your shoes from dirtying up your clothing, and the massive interior can hold many outfits for your weekend getaway.
    — Olivia Dubyak, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • Darker smears around the crater’s rim contain surface rocks and lunar dust called regolith previously altered by solar winds, micrometeorites, and cosmic radiation over an extended period of time.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The atmosphere works on them a little bit harder and reduces their strength and smears them a little bit more.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of smear
Verb
  • Forward vision is excellent because there’s no roof, A-pillars, or much of anything obscuring your view (the only model above the Signature Edition, called the Grand Touring, does include a roof of sorts).
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The glass is reeded and translucent, obscuring the line cooks behind it.
    — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • Our nation’s capital is besmirched, on his say-so, with signs and banners bearing his likeness and name.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Troubled by all the people besmirching the occupation, a group of agents formed a national trade group in 1908—the one eventually known as NAR.
    — Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of besmirch
Verb
  • My husband was humiliated, he was degraded, and not able to defend himself.
    — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Our minds generate sharp retorts or zingers that would eviscerate or humiliate them.
    — Dr. Joel M. Rothaizer, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of humiliate

Browse Nearby Words

blacked out
blacken
blackened
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Cite this Entry

“Blacken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blacken. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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