darken

[ dahr-kuhn ]
See synonyms for darken on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. to make dark or darker.

  2. to make obscure.

  1. to make less white or clear in color.

  2. to make gloomy; sadden: He darkened the festivities by his presence.

  3. to make blind.

verb (used without object)
  1. to become dark or darker.

  2. to become obscure.

  1. to become less white or clear in color.

  2. to grow clouded, as with gloom or anger.

  3. to become blind.

Idioms about darken

  1. darken someone's door, to come to visit; make an appearance: Never darken my door again!

Origin of darken

1
First recorded in 1250–1300, darken is from the Middle English word derknen.See dark, -en1

Other words for darken

Other words from darken

  • dark·en·er, noun
  • un·dark·en, verb (used with object)
  • well-darkened, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use darken in a sentence

  • Between Rickie and Gerald there lay a shadow that darkens life more often than we suppose.

    The Longest Journey | E. M. Forster
  • There seems to be a shuddering in the branches—the light fades upon yonder sunny woodlands—the foreground darkens apace.

    Parsifal | H. R. Haweis

British Dictionary definitions for darken

darken

/ (ˈdɑːkən) /


verb
  1. to make or become dark or darker

  2. to make or become gloomy, angry, or sad: his mood darkened

  1. darken someone's door (usually used with a negative) to visit someone: never darken my door again!

Derived forms of darken

  • darkener, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012