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
The bottom line: The clouds hanging over the economy are darkening and gathering, economists say.
—
Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2025
As the sky darkened and duck calls filled the sky, their number appeared as a shadowed cloud approaching the rice fields.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 1 May 2025
As the skies darkened, the grounds crew pulled the tarp back over the field a few minutes later as managers Rocco Baldelli and Stephen Vogt conferred.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 29 Apr. 2025
Instead, the wines undergo oxidation during ageing, which causes the colour to darken and the aromas to concentrate.
—Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2025
As the sky darkened and duck calls filled the sky, their number appeared as a shadowed cloud approaching the rice fields.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 1 May 2025
As the skies darkened, the grounds crew pulled the tarp back over the field a few minutes later as managers Rocco Baldelli and Stephen Vogt conferred.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 29 Apr. 2025
Instead, the wines undergo oxidation during ageing, which causes the colour to darken and the aromas to concentrate.
—Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 19 May. 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
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