as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a darkening sky that seemed to match our downcast spirits
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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of darkening
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 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
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The user posted the images and videos, including an image of a light in the sky, and several videos that appear to be shot from a plane cabin, but are very dark.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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Editors and dermatologists alike love it for its fine line–smoothing powers, along with its ability to dramatically lighten dark spots caused by sun damage.Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Amid the downpour that turned Interlagos into a battleground, painting the track in a chaotic gloss with puddles in the braking zones and spray obscuring vision, the two Frenchmen surprised the paddock and perhaps themselves.Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
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And would that be a way of obscuring your past from yourself?Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Their story could have been told myriad ways and, if the current TV market had anything to say about it: the best way to tell any true crime is to be as bleak, haunting and gory as possible.Ed Herro, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2024
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In recent years, people have taken to social media arguing that, while the film might be visually appealing, its underlying message is bleak.John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Today, Mount Tambora stands as a somber reminder of nature’s immense power.Scott Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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Sweet, downcast vocal performances vastly outnumber the raps, and there are punchy New Wave, goth-rock, folk, and grunge tunes where somber, gauzy trap productions once reigned.Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Two of the movies feature both Adams and Julianne Moore, and what’s really depressing is that such a phenomenal pairing got wasted on hapless material.Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
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And seeing even a preview of that was so depressing for me.Okla Jones, Essence, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Yet another was that depressive symptoms were self-reported, whereas clinical diagnosis is the gold standard for depression assessment.New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Dec. 2024
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Those who overestimated positive emotions, rather than focusing on negative ones, reported better well-being, fewer depressive symptoms and greater resilience.Mark Travers, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This not only enhances the relevancy of the ad for the buyer but also is more likely to drive conversions, increasing revenue while lowering costs.Fatima Yusuf, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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This not only enhances the relevancy of the ad for the buyer but also is more likely to drive conversions, increasing revenue while lowering costs.Fatima Yusuf, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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These are people who are here in this country, who have been murdering, raping, poisoning our citizens.NBC News, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024
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Environmental, climate and health issues Some in this California beach town insist the Tijuana River is poisoning them.Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near darkening
Cite this Entry
“Darkening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkening. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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