as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a darkening sky that seemed to match our downcast spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frowning
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
to grow dark
the sky darkened as a storm moved in
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscuring
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in marring
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 darkening
Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 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
Firefighters were on the street hosing down the burning stacks of e-bikes, the live stream showed, and fire trucks were making their way through showers of sparks from fireworks being lit in the darkening Paris skies.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Moonrise will take place across North America in blue hour, when the sky is darkening but still retains color — perfect timing.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
For a country that relies on crude oil and natural gas exports for a significant chunk of its budget revenue, these attacks are not only producing financial strain for the Kremlin but darkening the Russian people’s psychology as well.
—Daniel Depetris, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Or, perhaps most dramatically, one such clustering happened some 66 million years ago when an asteroid collided with Earth, darkening the skies and likely wiping out the dinosaurs - and over half of all plant species.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 19 May 2026
For a country that relies on crude oil and natural gas exports for a significant chunk of its budget revenue, these attacks are not only producing financial strain for the Kremlin but darkening the Russian people’s psychology as well.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
The shades of twilight in Badlands National Park would test the limits of a Crayola 64-pack—the darkening sky contrasted against multilayered rock formations changing colors in the dying light.
—Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 14 May 2026
Verb
Ever since her father left the fort almost a whole season ago, walking off into the darkening blue hills with both his hounds, never to return, her mother has taken to these long and aimless searches, sometimes with Brith and sometimes without.
—Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 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
Firefighters were on the street hosing down the burning stacks of e-bikes, the live stream showed, and fire trucks were making their way through showers of sparks from fireworks being lit in the darkening Paris skies.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Moonrise will take place across North America in blue hour, when the sky is darkening but still retains color — perfect timing.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
For a country that relies on crude oil and natural gas exports for a significant chunk of its budget revenue, these attacks are not only producing financial strain for the Kremlin but darkening the Russian people’s psychology as well.
—Daniel Depetris, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Or, perhaps most dramatically, one such clustering happened some 66 million years ago when an asteroid collided with Earth, darkening the skies and likely wiping out the dinosaurs - and over half of all plant species.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 19 May 2026
For a country that relies on crude oil and natural gas exports for a significant chunk of its budget revenue, these attacks are not only producing financial strain for the Kremlin but darkening the Russian people’s psychology as well.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
The shades of twilight in Badlands National Park would test the limits of a Crayola 64-pack—the darkening sky contrasted against multilayered rock formations changing colors in the dying light.
—Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkening
Adjective
-
But the true story behind it is a dark, sad and overall pretty confusing one.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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This focuses readers on the all-black uniforms of the veiled pupils, who—in a long frame at the center of the page—sit between the looming, frowning teacher on the right and Marji on the left, who stands up to explain that her uncle was executed by the Islamic regime.—
Hillary Chute,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
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Woods, 50, is seen frowning in the photo, taken shortly after the legendary golfer was booked into jail on March 27 after his Land Rover rolled over in Jupiter Island, Florida.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Most El Niño events typically begin forming between March and June, strengthen through summer into fall, and peak between November and January before fading in late winter into spring.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Market expectations have shifted throughout the war, with broad rate cut expectations fading and being replaced by higher-for-longer interest-rate environments across economies.—
Terri Cullen,Chloe Taylor,Garrett Downs,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Da Messina’s Annunciation famously excises the angel Gabriel, while Ghirri’s version further edits the event by also obscuring the Virgin herself.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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The expression is aged in oak long enough to round the spirit without obscuring its herbal, earthy core.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Use place mats or tablecloths on your kitchen table to keep food spills, condensation from drinks, and utensils from marring or staining the surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Their pursuit leads them down a highly unusual path with no easy answers, and Bong masterfully balances tonal shifts from bleak tragedy to absurdist humor to highlight why the case remains so compelling.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
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The picture looks much bleaker for the president now.—
Linley Sanders,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Verb
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The camera caught Maher staring at the stage with a slight smile, seemingly unsure how to react.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 June 2026
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Most of us spend hours staring at phones, laptops and tablets every day, and our eyes feel it.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
Verb
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And Hanceville’s fate is as murky as the fog that pours in at night, blotting out buildings and blackening the road ahead.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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These tungsten atoms would then condense on the slightly cooler inside of the glass bulb, blackening it and dimming the light over time.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darkening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkening. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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