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
During the day, their color darkens.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
Shared pool, pet-friendly, concierge, bike rentals, room-darkening shades Proximity is a big perk when staying at this luxe bungalow villa—downtown Tulum is just five minutes away by car, 10 minutes from the beach, and 15 minutes from Gran Cenote and Kaan Luum Lagoon.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 5 Apr. 2025
Unlike a total eclipse, where the moon completely blocks the sun, a partial eclipse does not darken the sky significantly.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
The attacks, which came in escalating waves and darkened the skies from burning buildings, brought the capital to a crawl as people poured into the streets desperately seeking refuge.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
Shared pool, pet-friendly, concierge, bike rentals, room-darkening shades Proximity is a big perk when staying at this luxe bungalow villa—downtown Tulum is just five minutes away by car, 10 minutes from the beach, and 15 minutes from Gran Cenote and Kaan Luum Lagoon.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 5 Apr. 2025
Unlike a total eclipse, where the moon completely blocks the sun, a partial eclipse does not darken the sky significantly.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
The attacks, which came in escalating waves and darkened the skies from burning buildings, brought the capital to a crawl as people poured into the streets desperately seeking refuge.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 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 20 Apr. 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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