1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
a tenebrous night with no moon
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2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
in the midst of those tenebrous days Thomas Paine penned the immortal words "These are the times that try men's souls"
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Recent Examples of tenebrous
What tenebrous horror is this, emerging from the ineffable darkness?
—
Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
By the same token, Spanish cinema at large has been reluctant to engage with that tenebrous period.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2021
As in the 1610 version, Susanna is seated on a balustrade, but this time there is a tenebrous sky, rather than a clear blue one.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020
Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
By the same token, Spanish cinema at large has been reluctant to engage with that tenebrous period.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2021
As in the 1610 version, Susanna is seated on a balustrade, but this time there is a tenebrous sky, rather than a clear blue one.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenebrous
Adjective
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From Walgreens and Red Lobster to Big Lots and Family Dollar, hundreds of retail locations went dark as part of an ongoing, years-long trend oft attributed to the ongoing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of online shopping.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
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Without robust funding, some labs will simply go dark.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The Depths are a murky environment with unique gameplay mechanics tied to darkness and light, so players better not skimp on lanterns and torches.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
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Culture Ministry officials are also debating whether some statues with murky provenance could be fakes.—
Mike Ives,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The picture looks bleak in the U.S. and in France the company is entering receivership.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2025
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The tiny graves at one end of the orphanage compound are a bleak reminder of what a future without USAID might look like for the children.—
Nicholas Komu,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Following his release, Yarden was met by his sister and father in a somber reunion.—
Mohammed Tawfeeq,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
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The image of Kurdi, dead and face down in the sand, soon became a somber meme—one that, for a while, helped garner widespread sympathy and financial support for refugees landing by the thousands on Greece’s shores.—
Lauren Markham,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Bill’s smarm has calcified into a kind of mad obsession; Hal is a starkly lonely and cowardly man.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
22 Feb. 2025
-
New research suggests people tend to be lonelier in young adulthood and late life.—
Christina Caron,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Stimulants can also worsen depressive symptoms.1 In addition to SSRIs, other classes of antidepressants can also interact with Adderall.—
Ayesha Gulzar,
Verywell Health,
4 Feb. 2025
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My problems began during the winter of 2023, when dingy weather and a depressive fit spurred me to sign up for a half-marathon.—
Amy X. Wang,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In video after video, young people complained about missing their high school graduations and senior proms, of the desolate college campuses that welcomed them and the increasingly precarious economy that waited for them on the other side.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
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The work follows two soldiers from opposing nations who are stationed at a shared barrack on a desolate border.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Whether the Nationals pitching staff can hold up, healthy and effective in an incredibly difficult division, is another pressing question — with a depressing answer: probably not — but at least the bats will be worth watching.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
The Athletic,
12 Feb. 2025
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Listen to this article Super Bowl parties are on the rise this year thanks to the need to decompress from a most depressing start to 2025, along with the rising cost of packages at bars and restaurants.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to tenebrous
Cite this Entry
“Tenebrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenebrous. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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