blackens

verb

present tense third-person singular of blacken
1
as in stains
to make dirty blackened the towels with their dirty hands

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

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3
as in darkens
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 fades
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 blackens After the first killing frost blackens their foliage, wait for a dry day and gently lift them with a garden fork. — Pam Rosendal, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2026 As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant. — The Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackens
  1. stains
  2. smears
  3. darkens
  4. dirties
  5. humiliates
  6. obscures
  7. sullies
  8. maligns
Verb
  • Advocates argue carts are silent, occupy less space than tourist vans and buses, and don’t choke the air with exhaust that also stains historic monuments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The man lies a few yards behind them, but the image stains her field of vision.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stains
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 smears
Verb
  • Instead, the surrounding sky darkens, increasing the contrast until the pale daytime moon seems to switch on at dusk and grow increasingly brilliant.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Cook until the sauce darkens and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of darkens
Verb
  • The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of dirties
Verb
  • Filming a scene in which Isaiah humiliates Cam, Withers asked Wayans to crack jokes about Kionte’s death — the defining event of Withers’ life, and his lowest point.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
Definition of humiliates
Verb
  • That is, when the dialogue is audible at all; much of it ends up subsumed by a thundering sound mix that obscures what you’re actually meant to hear.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Pedestrians walk along Marina Bay as thick haze obscures the Merlion park and surrounding skyline in Singapore on October 14, 2026.
    — Jenny Lee,Zechariah Chan, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscures
Verb
  • The film hinges on a small moment that not only sullies the trip but leads her character to reconsider her understanding of her father.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • For all the ways Disney’s move sullies it with creatives in Hollywood, OpenAI’s new partner does the opposite — gives it massive cred in Silicon Valley.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Definition of sullies
Verb
  • In it, Kennedy maligns germ theory as a tool of pharmaceutical companies, scientists, and doctors to promote the use of modern medicines.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
  • In its weekly online newsletter, which reaches and inspires jihadists across the globe, the group routinely maligns Shara and the new government and calls for soldiers in the Syrian military to defect.
    — Caroline Rose, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of maligns

Browse Nearby Words

blackening
blackens
black eye
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Cite this Entry

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

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