DARKEN Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

darken

verb

ˈdär-kən

Definition of darken

as in to frown

to take on a gloomy or forbidding look his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to fade

to grow dark the sky darkened as a storm moved in

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to obscure

to make dark, dim, or indistinct years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to mar

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation

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 darken In its latest incarnation, designed by the firm S9, the curtain wall has darkened and the electronic billboards brightened, so that the tower resembles a TV mount, more apparatus than architecture. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026 Fellow activists accused her of having darkened her skin using makeup and fake tanner and adopting a Black American accent after returning from a stint in the Peace Corps in Rwanda. — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 28 Sep. 2026 But at a festive National Day meal in Riyadh, where families dined while patriotic songs filled the room, there was a growing sense that the public mood may be darkening. — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 Add kale and cook, stirring often, until darkened in color and very tender, 7–9 minutes (garlic will break into even smaller pieces). — Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for darken

Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken

Verb

Private schools offer another route, but are still frowned upon as a way to buy an advantage.

— Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Business is bad for Ray, in part because Eye-Ra is an alien cyclops, and human-alien collaboration is frowned upon in this world.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of frown

Verb

The film is set in Lucknow as the age of the nawabs (Muslim nobles) fades.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
But that boom eventually faded, overwhelmed by larger forces including the rise of the regulatory state and increasingly generous government bailouts.

— RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of fade

Verb

What resonated most for me, though, was witnessing conversations where depth of understanding unveiled perspectives previously obscured.

— Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.

— Chris McMullen, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of obscure

Verb

Both Republicans had promoted the narrative that the 2020 election was marred by fraud.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
The tight finish came after a first half with see-saw action — mainly by Stewart — but was marred by whistles and questionable foul calls.

— Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of mar

Verb

Walking into a room to do some task or other, they’ll get stuck obsessively staring at the door hinges.

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
One man, summing up the shock, anger and frustration for everyone, stared straight ahead and at one in particular, gathering up whatever air was left in his lungs and yelled one more f-bomb for good measure.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of stare

Verb

With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers.

— Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026

Definition of dusk

Verb

The lines between human and machine-generated IP are blurring, ushering in complex legal, ethical and operational challenges.

— Jennifer C. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Menon's photo reveals spectacular pink, purple and red auroras glowing in Earth's upper atmosphere above a sparse dappling of city lights, subtly blurred by the motion of the orbital spacecraft over the course of the exposure.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of blur

Verb

This story spoils the plot of the film Whalefall, now out in theaters, based on Daniel Kraus‘ novel.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
The Dodgers left-hander had just given up the lead on Bauers’ two-run homer, spoiling what had been a stellar start Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of spoil

Browse Nearby Words

dark ages

darken

darkened

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

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Synonyms of darken

verb

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