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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Its cap is a shriveled mass of brown folds, darker than the caramel hue of the true morel.—
Shayla Love,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2025
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Same goes for Lady Gaga and her fire-red McQueen gown, which hit all the right notes of dark romance.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The situation here becomes more murky because Fusion GPS hired Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer, to investigate Trump’s ties with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement, the stock had declined more than 50% over the past 12 months as the company’s future became increasingly murky.—
Bloomberg,
The Mercury News,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Outside of the December slide, this is as bleak as it’s looked for the Rangers this season.—
Arthur Staple,
The Athletic,
21 Mar. 2025
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Voters were also asked to give one word to describe the Democratic Party, and the responses were bleak.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Field’s somber, clear-eyed Sonya has ardent desires but few illusions.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
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Scottish murder trials were focuses of intense interest as well as somber legal proceedings.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Retirement has been described by many who struggle as being incredibly lonely.—
Lorraine Wiseman,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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Four months ago, the lonely widower met Anna Valenza.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Researchers were surprised that the decrease in depressive symptoms was on par or even more significant than the reductions documented in studies of people taking antidepressant medications.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Tragically, they are killed by their mother, who drowns them in a manic depressive episode while their father is away on business.—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That quality is maintained first and foremost by a desolate whistling-wind sound effect in the background of all the scenes, along with a sustained droning musical score.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
14 Mar. 2025
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But a tire mark left on a desolate road near a missing woman’s car changes everything.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The truth is more depressing: This show is bad in the usual manner of reality television.—
Peter Tonguette,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Mar. 2025
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That wasn’t even the most depressing of Vlasic’s quotes.—
Scott Powers,
The Athletic,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tenebrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenebrous. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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