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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Matt Egan, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
Colorado's economic outlook is darkening as federal policies cast a shadow over the state's financial future, according to two fresh forecasts from legislative economists and the governor's office.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025
We were captivated by the main character facing a darkening world with youthful joyfulness and optimism.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
That care-free spirit, as the film illustrates, hardly existed in a vacuum, emerging in part as a defiant response to darkening times.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025
As the mood of the play becomes more somber (complete with darkening sky, thunder, rain and wailing guitar), its purpose becomes clear.
—Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
But today, with both private equity and venture capital snared in a distribution drought, there might be a silver lining to darkening economic clouds.
—Dan Primack, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025
In rare cases, melanoma can also lead to these changes, usually darkening the hair in the affected area.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
The goal for both the score and the original songs is to effortlessly guide viewers through the darkening emotional undercurrents of each episode.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
The mood is darkening on Main Street, too.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
Colorado's economic outlook is darkening as federal policies cast a shadow over the state's financial future, according to two fresh forecasts from legislative economists and the governor's office.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025
We were captivated by the main character facing a darkening world with youthful joyfulness and optimism.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
That care-free spirit, as the film illustrates, hardly existed in a vacuum, emerging in part as a defiant response to darkening times.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025
As the mood of the play becomes more somber (complete with darkening sky, thunder, rain and wailing guitar), its purpose becomes clear.
—Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
But today, with both private equity and venture capital snared in a distribution drought, there might be a silver lining to darkening economic clouds.
—Dan Primack, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025
In rare cases, melanoma can also lead to these changes, usually darkening the hair in the affected area.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
The goal for both the score and the original songs is to effortlessly guide viewers through the darkening emotional undercurrents of each episode.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkening
Adjective
-
Scarlett tempted Zayn to use a lead pipe to show his dark side.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
This was courtesy of the changing wind direction, which picked up in strength as a few dark clouds gathered near the circuit, with some drivers even reporting a sprinkling of rain as Q2 got underway.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
That said, the prevailing view of agents remains overly indexed on low-level implementation details, obscuring broader gaps that must be addressed for widespread adoption.—
Egor Pushkin,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Millions of Americans may have the chance to witness a partial solar eclipse on March 29, when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, temporarily obscuring part of the solar disk.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Many people were concerned about their financial situation, as the overall economic outlook was bleak.—
Rocky Sharma,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
-
Morale among agency staff is bleak, according to one CDC official who spoke on the condition that they not be named for fear of reprisals.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s energetic capital, golden spires of the Royal Palace gleam above the river, while visits to the Killing Fields reveal the city’s somber history.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
-
The convention, originally planned as a celebratory coronation, transformed into a tense, somber, and ultimately pivotal gathering.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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For women, the situation is even more depressing with 90% of women excluded from the workforce, unable to work outside their homes.—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
-
And blame can be depressing; accepting responsibility for something that went terribly wrong is often painful and embarrassing.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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There was also a 28% lower risk of falls, and a 22% lower incidence of depressive symptoms.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
-
A couple of small trials have even shown that following the Med diet for a few weeks may soften the severity of depressive symptoms in people who already have them.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
25 July 2025
Verb
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These photovoltaic panels are designed to generate renewable energy on-site, significantly reducing the building’s environmental impact while also lowering its operational costs.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
14 Mar. 2025
-
New Mexico policymakers can improve the state’s economy by lowering tax rates and reducing barriers to work.—
Adam A. Millsap,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Their reasoning is that these products are poisoning Americans.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
-
An Aurora dentist accused of fatally poisoning his wife in 2023 allegedly tried to pay a fellow jail inmate $20,000 to kill the case's lead investigator, prosecutors said in court Friday.—
Axios Denver,
Axios,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Darkening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkening. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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