dark 1 of 3

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as in black
not having a light complexion he was tall, dark, and handsome

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable dark deeds that resulted in the Russian czar being known to history as Ivan the Terrible

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dark

2 of 3

noun (1)

darkness

3 of 3

noun (2)

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as in nighttime
the time from sunset to sunrise when there is no visible sunlight let's wait for darkness before telling ghost stories

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in cloud
an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom the darkness of that period of my life is best forgotten

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dark
Adjective
Walch told me about an old study that sounds like every new parent’s fantasy, in which healthy people were confined to a dark room for 14 hours a day. Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2025 In her place was a much younger person, with dark, warm eyes, thinly pencilled brows, and a wide, shiny forehead. Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
Avoid traveling after dark in Kenya due to crime and poor traffic safety. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 Once carved and plated, each slice is draped on one end in a yellow veil of béarnaise from a copper pot, and on the other end in wine-dark bordelaise. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
For that reason, ID president Jason Sarlanis told THR that The Fall of Diddy aimed for a full picture of Combs, which includes the darkness that lay beneath his creative genius and a seemingly obsessive need to control and abuse people in his orbit, including employees. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025 Some dug holes, and even blasted through concrete, in a frantic search for relatives who might still be held in the darkness below. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark
Adjective
  • This Trevisani has a bushy black mustache, an olive complexion, and a broad forehead.
    Domenico Starnone, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Belair seems to have subtly leaned into her unprecedented turn by wearing black during recent shows.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • All of these episodes have different types of endings: There’s bleak to total cliffhanger to sentimental.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Some practical frameworks and strategies enable leaders to maintain stability, foster engagement, and position their teams for success even when the economic outlook appears bleak.
    Kara Dennison, SPHR, CPRW, EC, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • So far, the ESA has been silent on Trump excluding video game consoles from his tariff exemptions.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The Taliban are also silent on the other restrictions and whether there is any chance of removing them.
    Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But the scene itself could be read as a little ambiguous, too: is Sammie trying to pierce the veil again, playing a song that could both foster community but also bring back the vampires?
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
  • As the days turned into weeks, the reality of her situation remained ambiguous.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But Slingshot’s breach of contract suit alleges that Angel continually broke provisions of their agreement, and sometimes seemed entirely ignorant of them.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Naturally, this poor woman is ignorant of her friend Susan’s role in her granddaughter’s disappearance.
    Chris Klimek, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • At the time of Vallow's death, Vallow Daybell was espousing the belief that he was possessed by an evil spirit, the prosecution said.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Last season, there was an episode that featured an evil streaming executive — who dressed like, kind of looked like and whose name even sounded like Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief creative officer and your boss.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Details are still murky with the plan yet to be formally presented to the all-powerful ICC board.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The process, however, has been murky based on which military branch people are looking to return to, with only the Navy offering a solid idea of the decision.
    Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And in a culture that often asks women to go faster, do more, and present themselves perfectly, the act of cooking something small and lovely—just because—is its own quiet form of resistance.
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Today By Paulina Berges Nestled within Okazaki on a quiet residential road, Shinsho-an feels more like a private home than a hotel.
    Christina Liao, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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