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
But perceptions of where the economy is heading have darkened.
—
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Just after sunset, as the sky begins to darken, a 2%-lit waxing crescent moon will appear just hours after being in its invisible new phase.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
This gentle glow reveals the vast basaltic plains of the lunar seas darkening swathes of the lunar surface.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 July 2025
Behind them is a curtain that was once green but that has darkened over time.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
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show current usage.
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Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Just after sunset, as the sky begins to darken, a 2%-lit waxing crescent moon will appear just hours after being in its invisible new phase.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
This gentle glow reveals the vast basaltic plains of the lunar seas darkening swathes of the lunar surface.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 July 2025
Behind them is a curtain that was once green but that has darkened over time.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 July 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 29 Jul. 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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