1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
a tenebrous night with no moon
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2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
in the midst of those tenebrous days Thomas Paine penned the immortal words "These are the times that try men's souls"
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Recent Examples of tenebrous
What tenebrous horror is this, emerging from the ineffable darkness?
—
Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
By the same token, Spanish cinema at large has been reluctant to engage with that tenebrous period.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2021
As in the 1610 version, Susanna is seated on a balustrade, but this time there is a tenebrous sky, rather than a clear blue one.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020
Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
By the same token, Spanish cinema at large has been reluctant to engage with that tenebrous period.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2021
As in the 1610 version, Susanna is seated on a balustrade, but this time there is a tenebrous sky, rather than a clear blue one.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenebrous
Adjective
-
From Walgreens and Red Lobster to Big Lots and Family Dollar, hundreds of retail locations went dark as part of an ongoing, years-long trend oft attributed to the ongoing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of online shopping.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Without robust funding, some labs will simply go dark.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But details around the torrenting were murky until yesterday, when Meta's unredacted emails were made public for the first time.—
Ashley Belanger,
Ars Technica,
6 Feb. 2025
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Future missions could visit the basin and take rock samples to help scientists better understand the murky origins and history of the moon.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But bleak and uncertain as things seem right now, Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred does not want to lose Tampa Bay, the No. 11 media market, which is why the hope is for a deep pocket owner (or owners) from Tampa to emerge and the Tampa stadium plan near Ybor City can be revived.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2025
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Suicide is pretty bleak for a Super Bowl spot, and mental health, in general, is a sensitive topic.—
Matthew Pittman,
The Conversation,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
After running a somber ad in the 2024 Super Bowl aimed at fighting hate and bigotry, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism tapped Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady in a spot that had the celebrities squaring off against one another, ticking off reasons why people don’t like one another.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2025
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But as their friendship blossoms and becomes complicated by Dennis’s attraction to Roman, the story transforms, too, revealing one twist after another, each more somber yet strangely delightful than the previous.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But for people who are older and severely lonely, having an appointment to see their doctor might be their only social interaction that day.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
-
In a recent Harvard University study, every fifth American reported feeling lonely, and that number is even higher among young adults and seniors.—
John Hewko,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Carotenoids may offer some protection against depressive symptoms, but the study's authors caution that a causal relationship (when one variable causes the other to change) was not established.—
Jennifer Lefton, MS, RD/N, CNSC, FAND,
Verywell Health,
7 Feb. 2025
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Screening for depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts should be part of routine care for people with headaches.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Although Mars is known for being a dry and desolate desert, its landscape hasn’t always been so hostile.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
29 Jan. 2025
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At first glance, the entire landscape looked grim and desolate.—
M. R. O’Connor,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Whether the Nationals pitching staff can hold up, healthy and effective in an incredibly difficult division, is another pressing question — with a depressing answer: probably not — but at least the bats will be worth watching.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
The Athletic,
12 Feb. 2025
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Listen to this article Super Bowl parties are on the rise this year thanks to the need to decompress from a most depressing start to 2025, along with the rising cost of packages at bars and restaurants.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tenebrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenebrous. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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