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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
to grow dark
the sky darkened as a storm moved in
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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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4
as in marring
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darkening
Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 19 Dec. 2024
The weather is darkening, the leaves are falling and the zombies are nearing your doorstep.
—Annalise Frank, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
Still, not a lot of it is darkening investors’ psyches these days.
—Larry Light, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Richard Nixon ran a similar playbook during his own presidential campaign in 1968, which took place amid a darkening war in Vietnam.
—Jeffrey A. Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024
China’s rapid rearmament and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are signs that the clouds are darkening.
—Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2024
Thank you for being a beacon of light in a darkening world.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2024
Verb
The flowers and the ferns put themselves to bed, shedding petals, drying and darkening, folding up.
—Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 19 Dec. 2024
The weather is darkening, the leaves are falling and the zombies are nearing your doorstep.
—Annalise Frank, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
Still, not a lot of it is darkening investors’ psyches these days.
—Larry Light, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Richard Nixon ran a similar playbook during his own presidential campaign in 1968, which took place amid a darkening war in Vietnam.
—Jeffrey A. Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024
China’s rapid rearmament and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are signs that the clouds are darkening.
—Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2024
Thank you for being a beacon of light in a darkening world.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkening
Adjective
-
But on Monday, just two days after the agency's website went dark and amid days of speculation about its future, the USAID headquarters in Washington had been shut down and employees had been instructed not to return to work, according to reports from the BBC, The Associated Press and Reuters.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
3 Feb. 2025
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For a small minority, however, fire offers something different and darker.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Smothered in clouds, this House of the Dragon valley provides perfect, obscuring aerial cover for anyone who might happen to be wandering around in the wilderness and stumbles into a dragon that went rogue decades ago.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
30 Dec. 2024
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However, the relentless pursuit of RTO may be a costly distraction, obscuring deeper issues such as workforce reductions and the evolving nature of work, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence, that are hindering corporate performance.—
Timothy Papandreou,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The big picture: New data shows bleak economic conditions in Europe, especially relative to the U.S. The eurozone economy did not grow at all in the final months of 2024.—
Courtenay Brown,
Axios,
30 Jan. 2025
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New national test scores show a bleak picture of American education in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Kayla Jimenez,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Trudy was somber and a bit peeved that Mouch had forgotten her birthday.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2025
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Republicans were quick to jump out of their chairs to applaud while Democrats sat somber, arms crossed.—
Joey Garrison,
USA TODAY,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Green made do with a slightly depressing cafeteria lunch—a cheese-and-pickle sandwich and a shiny red apple—and some chitchat about the weather.—
Nicola Twilley,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
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Beyond that, the shadow of Teresa’s legal woes hung over the season, making for a depressing watch.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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However, medication involving the anesthetic, ketamine, has shown promise in recent years for treating these hard-to-resolve depressive symptoms.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2025
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Zinc deficiency is correlated to depressive symptoms, anxiety-like behaviors, and even higher suicidal ideation risk.—
Amiah Taylor,
Discover Magazine,
25 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Our work in the next session must be focused on lowering costs and helping people make ends meet, not more giveaways to the special interests [of the] wealthy.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
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Similarly, brands with in-house marketing capabilities can align production and promotion, lowering acquisition costs and increasing retention.—
Vincent Gregoire,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Salting on sidewalks and driveways can also run off into your lawn and landscape, poisoning your plants.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
3 Jan. 2025
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Defense lawyers said that speech included a series of improper and prejudicial comments against the defendants and their legal team, poisoning any potential jurors against them.—
Kate Brumback,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near darkening
Cite this Entry
“Darkening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkening. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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