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
This dimming was attributed to the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022, which triggered a regional energy crisis and caused European nights to darken dramatically.
—
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Its charming glow is often visible even before the sky fully darkens, which is so fitting and poetic when considering both the planetary and astrological essence of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Without an atmosphere, the surface would be especially vulnerable to this process, known as space weathering, which gradually breaks down and darkens rock.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 May 2026
Meanwhile, the American prospect darkened.
—Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Its charming glow is often visible even before the sky fully darkens, which is so fitting and poetic when considering both the planetary and astrological essence of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Without an atmosphere, the surface would be especially vulnerable to this process, known as space weathering, which gradually breaks down and darkens rock.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 May 2026
Meanwhile, the American prospect darkened.
—Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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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