darkened; darkening
ˈdär-kə-niŋ 
1
: to grow dark : become obscured
the skies were darkening
2
: to become gloomy
his mood darkened
1
: to make dark
2
: to make less clear : obscure
the financial crisis darkened the future of the company
4
: to cast a gloom over
5
: to make of darker color
Examples of darken in a Sentence
The sky darkened and it started to rain.
Her face darkens to a deep red when she gets angry.
The wood will darken as it ages.
The bad news darkened his mood.
The last days of her life were darkened by illness.
His mood darkened after he heard the bad news.
Recent Examples on the Web
Pigments darken the lashes, while oils and waxes help thicken them and give your lashes a boost of volume.
—
Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
Apparently, the concert’s pyrotechnics, located directly underneath the banners, literally darkened the legacy of the team in a way the stories of Michael Jordan’s gambling and Dennis Rodman’s smelliness never could.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
Early Friday morning, a red moon will darken over Chicago skies.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
Their perfect alignment darkens the moon, from the perspective of folks looking up, because our planet's position blocks most sunlight from reaching it.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
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Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
Apparently, the concert’s pyrotechnics, located directly underneath the banners, literally darkened the legacy of the team in a way the stories of Michael Jordan’s gambling and Dennis Rodman’s smelliness never could.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
Early Friday morning, a red moon will darken over Chicago skies.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
Their perfect alignment darkens the moon, from the perspective of folks looking up, because our planet's position blocks most sunlight from reaching it.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darken. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
darken
verb
dark·en
ˈdär-kən
darkened; darkening
ˈdärk-(ə-)niŋ
1
: to make or grow dark or darker
the sky darkened
2
: to make or become gloomy or forbidding
her face darkened in anger
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