1
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
2
3
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
4
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darken
Snag these room darkening curtain panels for just $11, or cozy up your bed with new throw pillows and this chunky knit throw blanket.
—
Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2025
While newer formulations tend to avoid these ingredients, some still include actives that can be harsh, especially on sensitive areas like the underarms, where skin is thinner and prone to irritation or darkening.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
As the fourth official put up his electronic board with Danny Welbeck’s number on it, the mood in the away end began to darken.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
By most measures, Trump’s takeover has darkened the center’s financial picture.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2025
While newer formulations tend to avoid these ingredients, some still include actives that can be harsh, especially on sensitive areas like the underarms, where skin is thinner and prone to irritation or darkening.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
As the fourth official put up his electronic board with Danny Welbeck’s number on it, the mood in the away end began to darken.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
By most measures, Trump’s takeover has darkened the center’s financial picture.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
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His punitive overreaction to a student caught shoplifting in a college cafeteria is frowned upon, particularly because Ed is no longer the campus security chief.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2025
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Traditionally, these two types of travel have been kept entirely separate, and it has been frowned upon to mix one with the other.—
Egor Karpovich,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The issue of student rights has faded from headlines, though obstacles linger.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
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Hope for a similar easy resolution for the Wentz family quickly faded.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2025
Verb
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Again the water spray obscured what happened there just before the twister lost its power.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2025
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Derrick White and Jrue Holiday were almost good enough to obscure the absence of Brown and Tatum in the game’s final 20 minutes.—
Bill Speros,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Sadly, the price of an alternative school was too high, and she was forced to send her children to public schools marred by gang violence and bullying.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
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Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, says that many of her images are marred by satellites crossing her plane of view.—
Jonathan O'Callaghan,
Scientific American,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The goal was to execute highly choreographed, ultra-precise movements, all while staring directly at the audience.—
Andrew Lampert,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
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At school the next day, he was treated as an art piece, in which his classmates stopped and stared.—
Akili King,
Essence,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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If a vigorous plant begins to blacken at the top or whole branches are dying back, this is a sign that something is wrong.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
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Ice, for serving Lime wedges, optional garnish Mint sprigs, optional garnish Roast the pepper until the skin is uniformly blackened.—
Kelly Brant,
Arkansas Online,
6 May 2025
Verb
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The 20-episode series aims to blur the line between reality and imagination, mixing comedy and drama with a nostalgic nod to the vibrant ’90s era that shaped him.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2025
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Further blurring the picture: the Trump administration announced a 90-day pause on the highest import fees for dozens of countries in early April and a similar truce with China on Monday that allows the two sides negotiate further.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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