as in dark
being without light or without much light
wanting to surprise her, we waited in the darkened room for her to get home before calling out "happy birthday"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frowned
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
3
as in obscured
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 marred
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of darkened
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Rick Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
But that fall, his mood darkened.
—Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
On these blocks, darkened by the presence of heavily armed federal agents, Minnesotans describe routine movements as calculated risks, unsure which block might erupt into confrontation.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 2 Feb. 2026
But as the camera crew darkened the arena, Malinin was isolated in a spotlight.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
At these delightfully divey watering holes, every visible surface is covered in dollars scribbled with the initials, anniversaries, hometowns, inside jokes, dates, or names of anyone who has darkened the doors of that particular bar over the past fifty years—or maybe just the past week.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
Back then, Vine jokes, Harambe memes, and Snapchat filters could sweep through timelines in a way that made the internet feel weirdly communal, even as politics darkened the horizon.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened, 4 to 5 minutes.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 15 Jan. 2026
Adams has spent his final months in office globetrotting and shoring up his legacy, touting his accomplishments during a stormy tenure as mayor darkened by corruption charges in late 2024.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
The sky has darkened to a deep, clear blue, although that slow, slow sunset still burns orange on the horizon, and lamps are now glowing around the lagoon, as if set for a candlelit dinner.
—Rick Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
But that fall, his mood darkened.
—Coley Gallagher, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
On these blocks, darkened by the presence of heavily armed federal agents, Minnesotans describe routine movements as calculated risks, unsure which block might erupt into confrontation.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 2 Feb. 2026
But as the camera crew darkened the arena, Malinin was isolated in a spotlight.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
At these delightfully divey watering holes, every visible surface is covered in dollars scribbled with the initials, anniversaries, hometowns, inside jokes, dates, or names of anyone who has darkened the doors of that particular bar over the past fifty years—or maybe just the past week.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
Back then, Vine jokes, Harambe memes, and Snapchat filters could sweep through timelines in a way that made the internet feel weirdly communal, even as politics darkened the horizon.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened, 4 to 5 minutes.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 15 Jan. 2026
Adams has spent his final months in office globetrotting and shoring up his legacy, touting his accomplishments during a stormy tenure as mayor darkened by corruption charges in late 2024.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkened
Adjective
-
The activist also went full glam on her flight, looking radiant in bronzy makeup, complete with dark eyeliner, fluttery eyelashes, fluffy eyebrows, luminous skin, and glossy lips.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
-
More dark, romantic beauty inspiration.—
Jesa Marie Calaor,
Allure,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The group is frowned upon by the Orthodox community, and was not mentioned in the biographical information put out in the mayor’s announcement.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Referencing hobbies, especially more niche ones, might be frowned upon in more straitlaced sectors but may help your case in a more creative industry.—
Sarah Jackson,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In San Juan and nearby communities, neighborhoods buzzed as the Super Bowl itself faded into the background and attention turned entirely to Bad Bunny’s 13 minutes on stage.—
Martin Silva Rey,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
When the Cougars were building their biggest lead, the boos for Wright had finally faded.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unfortunately, a lot of the homes near Guthrie's residence are far from the street and are obscured by shrubbery, Siminoff said, so collecting video data of cars on the road might be hard in this case.—
Liz Kreutz,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The result of this was that the view of the ball was often obscured when shots went up.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In fact, Nanos' last election was marred by controversy.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
However, Machado seems to have regrouped following the elbow surgery that marred the end of his 2023 season and slowed him to start 2024.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But in the murky intermediate regime, the full quantum complexity of each electron plays a role, and the problem is classically intractable.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Feb. 2026
-
There were a lot of murky secrets in the Victorian world.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The two men, in their respective corners, stared each other down.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Both stared in my direction, looking surprised at the chance for free food out here.—
David Zeug,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The building burned to the ground and the soil has been scraped, but that blackened sago palm is still there, sprouting tons of new growth.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Darkened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkened. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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