penumbral

adjective

as in darkened

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of penumbral First, the moon enters the faint outer shadow of the Earth, or the penumbra, where dimming is subtle; this is the penumbral eclipse. — Stefanie Waldek, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026 On March 3, 2026, totality will last 58 minutes, but the full event — including penumbral and partial phases — will span 5 hours and 38 minutes. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026 The penumbral shadow is the outer, lighter portion, which only partially blocks sunlight. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026 The penumbral shadow is the outer, lighter shadow where only a partial blocking of sunlight occurs. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026 After this March event, Earth’s shadow will only skim the moon, creating less impactful partial and penumbral eclipses in late 2026, 2027 and 2028. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 The stages of the eclipse include penumbral and umbral phases, which refer to the two main parts of the shadow that the moon casts. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbral
  1. darkened
  2. dusky
  3. moonless
  4. obscured
  5. darkish
  6. darkling
  7. obscure
  8. pitch-dark
Adjective
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • Dragonstone is the windswept ancestral seat of House Targaryen, but the Black Queen did not grow up playing among its dusky caverns.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • In Randolph’s photo, Brisket could be seen lounging on a dusky pink velvet chair with a table in front of him set with a martini and a glass of red wine.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 21 June 2026
Definition of dusky
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the very early hours of July 7 and 8 will see a close conjunction of a last quarter moon and Saturn in the east, kicking off relatively moonless conditions for the following 10 nights or so.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 July 2026
  • That same night, the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak under a perfectly dark, moonless sky.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of moonless
Adjective
  • On this year’s summer solstice, a group of volunteers gathered to tend to the obscured orchard atop one of the Figueroa Street Tunnels.
    — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • For one thing, near-infrared light can pass through thin clouds, so an obscured sky wouldn't prevent communication.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 June 2026
Definition of obscured
Adjective
  • Photos of Trump at this year’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland show an even gnarlier darkish bruise on his left hand.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Definition of darkish
Adjective
  • Its 19th-century spire lit up like a matchstick against the darkling sky, its tip cracking and plunging through the ceiling.
    — Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of darkling
Adjective
  • Intentionally vague and obscure, the Daodejing would go on to inspire various interpretations ranging from philosophical reflections to how to realize the Dao in everyday practice.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
  • The end of legal slavery in New York should not be an obscure historical fact.
    — Tunisia Morrison, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • The 21st century has yielded no shortage of stylish horror marbled with devious veins of pitch-dark humor — Peter Strickland’s In Fabric, Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies, Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, pretty much every Jordan Peele feature.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
  • On school days, that meant waking up in pitch-dark and walking to the bus stop with a flashlight.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of pitch-dark

Browse Nearby Words

penumbrae
penumbral
penurious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penumbral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbral. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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