1
as in to stain
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to darken
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 blacken
Just a touch of frost will blacken the leaves and kill stems.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Dec. 2024
The Eaton fire, which started after the Palisades blaze in the Altadena area, has blackened more than 14,000 acres, destroyed or damaged 7,000 homes and other structures, and killed 17 people, officials say.
—Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
Hands blackened from picking through the rubble of what was left of his home camp.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
The surrounding hills were blackened, the aftermath of brush fires started by wayward rockets.
—Jack Nicas, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blacken 
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Dec. 2024
The Eaton fire, which started after the Palisades blaze in the Altadena area, has blackened more than 14,000 acres, destroyed or damaged 7,000 homes and other structures, and killed 17 people, officials say.
—Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
Hands blackened from picking through the rubble of what was left of his home camp.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
The surrounding hills were blackened, the aftermath of brush fires started by wayward rockets.
—Jack Nicas, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blacken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blacken
Verb
-
Make Glass Shower Doors Sparkle The entire aesthetic of your bathroom can take a big hit the moment your glass shower door begins to look streaky, stained, or foggy.—
Katelyn Squiers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Jan. 2025
-
As Shilpa notes though, the plastic has a tendency to stain, especially when slicing carrots or beets.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appétit,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Wright got so big on social media even Piers Morgan invited her to libel Jay Z and Beyonce on his platform.—
Rob Marriott,
VIBE.com,
30 Dec. 2024
-
Though he was not named in the ad, Mr. Sullivan asserted he had been personally libeled by The Times and four Black ministers who were signed to the ad.—
David W. Dunlap,
New York Times,
22 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Don't forget about the pet oyster As the late afternoon sky began to darken, the white Jeep still was parked in front the home with the well-fed koi.—
Josh Peter,
USA TODAY,
15 Jan. 2025
-
The pleasant, quirky notes of an accordion join the strains of violin, wafting upward toward the darkening sky, accenting the polite chatter of guests hoping for a handshake and a word with America’s latest King Midas and his Nordic queen of a wife.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of dirtying a larger pot for your supporting dishes, this quaint cooker will come in handy for quick (or slower simmering) concoctions while matching your kitchen atmosphere.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Having dirtied himself in the catacombs beneath the papacy’s home, our scrappy archaeologist emerges into none other than a resplendent re-creation of the Sistine Chapel.—
Lewis Gordon,
Vulture,
18 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
In the Mecklenburg County jail, he was accused of assaulting guards, breaking sprinklers, and smearing feces on his cell walls.—
Kallie Cox,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The peanut pesto smearing the fish hits all the flavor notes: umami from the fish sauce, caramelly sweetness from the brown sugar, and brightness from the lime juice.—
Megan Zhang,
Saveur,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
This lava blankets the valley floor, walls, and much of the surrounding plains, obscuring older geological features and complicating efforts to date and understand the processes that shaped this enigmatic Martian landscape.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2025
-
After its investigators were attacked by protesters later on Saturday, the anti-corruption agency asked media companies to obscure the faces of its members attending the hearing.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
The Christian Science Monitor,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Images illustrating the reality versus carefully edited Instagram selfies have somewhat besmirched Santorini’s romantic reputation of late.—
Helen Iatrou,
AFAR Media,
16 Dec. 2024
-
There’s a new promo picture going around showing a Dusty Milligan with facial hair (see: above) — and listen, not to besmirch his infinity-pool jawline, but the dude looks so much better with that scruff.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
8 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
My neighbor invited me to dinner, then humiliated me in front of the other women Miss Manners: Strangers keep telling me distressing stories.—
Judith Martin,
The Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2025
-
The Ravens, particularly bruising runner Derrick Henry, humiliated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night.—
Tim Graham,
The Athletic,
13 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to blacken
Thesaurus Entries Near blacken
Cite this Entry
“Blacken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blacken. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share