as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
blackening of the senator's good name disgusted voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in staining
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smearing
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in darkening
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles
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4
as in fading
to grow dark
the auditorium blackened suddenly, and a spotlighted performer appeared alone on stage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of blackening
Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2016
Temple leaves the tail shell on the end of the shrimp to protect the tender tip in the blackening process.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2021
Drizzle lime juice over tilapia, season with 1/2 tsp salt, and dip in blackening seasoning.
—Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, 31 Mar. 2020
Like Dorian Gray’s portrait, his face registered the blackening of Walt’s soul.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Oct. 2019
He and manager Dave Bristol went at it one day at the yard, with the manager blackening The Count’s eye.
—Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2019
Fenolio came across an academic journal with a paper about a particular species of frog that had faced similar deaths — a blackening and drying of the skin followed by a quick demise.
—Josh Baugh, ExpressNews.com, 8 July 2019
The floors were free from the blackening caused by fire.
—National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2019
Any blackening or a brown shade on the switch or outlet is cause for concern.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 29 Apr. 2016
Noun
Whole villages were nearly wiped out, and in total, some 60 percent of Europe's population would succumb to the disease, which was characterized by an extreme swelling of the lymph nodes and the gradual blackening of the fingertips and toes as the tissues died.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2016
Temple leaves the tail shell on the end of the shrimp to protect the tender tip in the blackening process.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2021
Drizzle lime juice over tilapia, season with 1/2 tsp salt, and dip in blackening seasoning.
—Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, 31 Mar. 2020
Like Dorian Gray’s portrait, his face registered the blackening of Walt’s soul.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Oct. 2019
He and manager Dave Bristol went at it one day at the yard, with the manager blackening The Count’s eye.
—Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2019
Fenolio came across an academic journal with a paper about a particular species of frog that had faced similar deaths — a blackening and drying of the skin followed by a quick demise.
—Josh Baugh, ExpressNews.com, 8 July 2019
The floors were free from the blackening caused by fire.
—National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2019
Any blackening or a brown shade on the switch or outlet is cause for concern.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 29 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackening
Noun
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Defamation trials are rare in the U.S. due to constitutional protections for the press, which make proving libel difficult.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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Lively sued Baldoni for mental pain and anguish, severe emotional distress, and lost wages; Baldoni sued the New York Times for libel, alleging that the publication defamed him with its piece about the alleged PR campaign against Lively.Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The flowers and the ferns put themselves to bed, shedding petals, drying and darkening, folding up.Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 19 Dec. 2024
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The weather is darkening, the leaves are falling and the zombies are nearing your doorstep.Annalise Frank, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
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At a defamation trial in Washington D.C, Giuliani was unable to back up the claim and a jury awarded Freeman and Moss $148 million.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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The ex-Trump attorney will have a second hearing over whether he should be held in civil contempt January 10 in Washington, D.C., as part of Freeman’s and Moss’ original defamation case against Giuliani.Alison Durkee, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Smothered in clouds, this House of the Dragon valley provides perfect, obscuring aerial cover for anyone who might happen to be wandering around in the wilderness and stumbles into a dragon that went rogue decades ago.Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2024
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However, the relentless pursuit of RTO may be a costly distraction, obscuring deeper issues such as workforce reductions and the evolving nature of work, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence, that are hindering corporate performance.Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The criticism is somewhat reminiscent of Texans slamming Sen. Ted Cruz for fleeing to Cancun during a statewide freeze and power loss disaster in 2021.James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
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Comments Holker made to PEOPLE in a Jan. 7 interview triggered the wave of criticism.Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near blackening
Cite this Entry
“Blackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackening. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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