1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darken
Citizen scientists are invited to build their own instrument to measure changes that occur in the atmosphere when the sky momentarily darkens.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
Enjoying and Observing Fireflies The best firefly viewing comes after the sun has set while sitting on a darkened, screened back porch.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
The country’s growth outlook has darkened due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has effectively halted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up energy and commodities prices globally.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Its trio, a lonely fox-deer, an axolotl apprentice healer and a red panda Viking, travel through a darkening natural world as the series folds identity, belonging and environmental crisis.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
Enjoying and Observing Fireflies The best firefly viewing comes after the sun has set while sitting on a darkened, screened back porch.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
The country’s growth outlook has darkened due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has effectively halted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up energy and commodities prices globally.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Its trio, a lonely fox-deer, an axolotl apprentice healer and a red panda Viking, travel through a darkening natural world as the series folds identity, belonging and environmental crisis.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
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In a pre-AI world, companies would’ve frowned upon allowing clients to bypass the online front door to their services.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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Don’t Kill Reach with External Links Like any business that makes money from advertising, LinkedIn frowns upon directing people away from LinkedIn to another site.—
William Arruda,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Members of the organizations explained that the numerous legal and regulatory actions are not fading away once SpaceX goes public, but are likely to escalate and become bigger risks to investors, pension fund holders and other members of the financial community.—
Ashley Capoot,CJ Haddad,Samantha Subin,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
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Hackman plays a chess-loving private investigator tasked with finding the 16-year-old daughter (Melanie Griffith, in her film debut) of a fading actress.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Verb
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The Islamic Republic of Iran has accelerated its executions of dissidents and activists, with the true number of victims likely obscured by the regime’s internet censorship and blackout.—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
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The old model obscured the relationship between advertiser and editorial.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Yet even before the competition opened with Mexico facing South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca, it has been marred by a number of controversies that threaten to overshadow the soccer and cloud the tournament’s legacy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
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Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street announced Tuesday that the 2026 Downtown Days festival will be its last, citing safety concerns after fights, assaults and property damage marred Saturday evening’s event.—
Ian Cummings,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Regrets are common enough after lives are lost — when the cost of conflict is staring you right in the face, dead-eyed and countless — and yet this specific contrition persists long before the ships crash, the arrows fly, and the dragons roar.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
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Most passengers spend a week living inside the ship, not staring at it from shore.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
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The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Find her firming night cream, rich-lady face oil, and blurring tinted sunscreen among a trove of other beauty gems.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
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The oil-free cream formula is anchored by spherical particles that absorb and refract light to blur dark spots, redness, and uneven texture without emphasizing the lines and pores that heavier concealers tend to magnify.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Republicans have long held on to hope that Valadao might be able to hold on to his San Joaquin Valley district, spoiling Democratic hopes for a flip there.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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Trailing by two games, San Antonio made a statement and spoiled the party at Madison Square Garden for Game 3.—
Leocciano Callao,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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