darkness

Definition of darknessnext
1
2
3
as in night
the time from sunset to sunrise when there is no visible sunlight let's wait for darkness before telling ghost stories

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in cloud
an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom the darkness of that period of my life is best forgotten

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of darkness The rover traveled at both dusk and dawn, when shadows are long, and in complete darkness – mimicking lunar conditions future rovers may encounter. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 June 2026 On the other hand, Dunaway and her tart-talking sidekick, Brenda Vaccaro, seem to be having the time of their lives as mistresses of the shades of darkness (their ramshackle abode is a funhouse Ghost Train ride festooned with skeletons, spiders and tattered netting). Arthur Knight, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 Police body cam video shows officers arriving in the darkness to find two-thirds of the 12-story condominium complex in a heap of rubble, with people in the remaining units stranded, screaming for help from their balconies. Marisa Peñaloza, NPR, 24 June 2026 Rather abruptly, the location changes and the mood switches to darkness in another part of the planet as key villain Krem (who seems to use the same stylist as Pinhead and is played by Matthias Schoenaerts) arrives and murders the parents of 13-year-old Ruthye (Eve Ridley). Pete Hammond, Deadline, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for darkness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darkness
Noun
  • Even an aggressive plaintiff would know that lingering past dark wouldn’t go over well in court.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • News of a glow-in-the-dark Nike Air Foamposite Pro first materialized in November, with early reports of a Summit White/Black colorway enhanced with the glowing treatment.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Leadership teams that are ready for change treat ambiguity as part of the job.
    Tracy Lawrence, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The report released last year from the Office of Performance Evaluations found the money’s use wasn’t addressed in state law, which led to inconsistencies and ambiguity on what it can be used for.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • The engineer flew in from Tampa to try and find her mother, sister, brother-in-law and nephew in the ruins of their nine-story apartment building, sleeping on the ground since arriving two nights ago.
    Isa Soares, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
  • On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Around the time a helicopter carrying a newlywed couple departed from their North Georgia wedding venue, the skies were potentially rainy and foggy with a 200-foot cloud ceiling, federal officials said in a preliminary safety report about the deadly crash.
    Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
  • The Weather Prediction Center said the high heat may finally begin to abate from west to east this weekend, with upper temperature limits possibly restricted by clouds and thunderstorms.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Dark figures were darting through the shadows—Germans were carrying sacks and pillows to their building.
    Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Reflections, shadows and motion blur can all reduce detection confidence.
    Freddy Kuo, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.
    Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Trump started the day threatening to block Congress’ biggest bipartisan legislation of his second term over a voter ID bill that faces no path to law — casting a pall over a Capitol that had already begun celebrating a rare cost-of-living victory.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 24 June 2026
  • The team boarded the bus in Cleveland after a 117-95 blowout by the Cavaliers in dead silence, an icy pall setting in among teammates desperate not to let losing become comfortable.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • Experts say that the biggest challenge at that extreme level of blackness is actually measuring it.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 June 2026
  • Hawthorne mostly succeeds at keeping the blackness in check in this foray into YA.
    John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Darkness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darkness. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on darkness

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster