darkened; darkening
ˈdär-kə-niŋ 
1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened
1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
Examples of darken in a Sentence
The sky darkened and it started to rain.
Her face darkens to a deep red when she gets angry.
The wood will darken as it ages.
The bad news darkened his mood.
The last days of her life were darkened by illness.
His mood darkened after he heard the bad news.
Recent Examples on the Web
Don't forget about the pet oyster As the late afternoon sky began to darken, the white Jeep still was parked in front the home with the well-fed koi.
—
Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
The pleasant, quirky notes of an accordion join the strains of violin, wafting upward toward the darkening sky, accenting the polite chatter of guests hoping for a handshake and a word with America’s latest King Midas and his Nordic queen of a wife.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
Rarer side effects include blisters, a herpes simplex (cold sores) outbreak, infections, scarring, and skin lightening or darkening.
—Laura Schober, Health, 28 Dec. 2024
Either way, a partial solar eclipse in Aries will darken the skies on March 29, which could indicate a new chapter that impacts your life behind closed doors.
—Roya Backlund, StyleCaster, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for darken 
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.
Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
The pleasant, quirky notes of an accordion join the strains of violin, wafting upward toward the darkening sky, accenting the polite chatter of guests hoping for a handshake and a word with America’s latest King Midas and his Nordic queen of a wife.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
Rarer side effects include blisters, a herpes simplex (cold sores) outbreak, infections, scarring, and skin lightening or darkening.
—Laura Schober, Health, 28 Dec. 2024
Either way, a partial solar eclipse in Aries will darken the skies on March 29, which could indicate a new chapter that impacts your life behind closed doors.
—Roya Backlund, StyleCaster, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for darken
Dictionary Entries Near darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
darken
verb
dark·en
ˈdär-kən
darkened; darkening
ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share