She was wearing a black hat.
Source: tatoeba (2111)
Black
/blæk/
Synonyms for "black" (488 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (98)
abominableabsoluteamerican indianamerindangryaniline blackapocalypticarrantasperseatramentousatrociousaustralian aborigineawfulbadbad-temperedbalefulbanbanefulbasebeamless
Show 55 more words
becloudbedaubbeetle browedbeetle-browedbesmearbesmirchblack as coalblack as ebonyblack as inkblack as midnightblack as nightblack manblack outblack raceblack-browedblack-skinnedblackenblackfellowblackguardlyblackishblacklistblacknessblamableblameworthyblankbleakblotblot outblotchblueblue blackbodefulbodingbone blackboyboycottbrownbrown manbruisebrunetbrunswick blackburrheadbushmancalamitouscaliginouscalumniatecarbon blackcataclysmalcataclysmiccatastrophiccaucasiancharcoalchrome blackcloudclouded
Noun(8 words)
Adjective(8 words)
atramentalatramentousblack as a dog's gutsblack as coalblack as newgate's knockerblack as nightblack as the ace of spadesblack as thunder
Adjective(6 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (146)
coalcoal-blackcoalycoldcoloredcolored personcompletecontusecooncorbeaucorkcrapecriminalcrowcypresscypress lawndamnabledarkdark as nightdark as pitch
Show 100 more words
dark-complexioneddark-skinneddarkendarklingdarknessdarksomedarkydastardlydaubdeadlydeathlydeep blackdeep mourningdefamedejecteddenigratedepressantdepressingdepressivedesolatedestructivediabolicaldiredirtydisastrousdisconsolatediscouragingdisgracefuldishearteningdismaldispiritingdoomfuldourdownrightdreardrearisomedrearydrop blackdumpishduskyebonebonyeclipseeclipsedembargoevilevil-starredexecrablefatalfatefulfeloniousfilthyflagitiousflagrantforebodingfoulfrowningfunebrialfunerealfuriousgloomgloomygloweringglumgookgravegraygreygrievousgrimgrubbygrumhatehatefulheinoushellishhonkyhyacinthineillill-bodingill-fatedill-omenedill-starredimproperimpureinaccurateinauspiciousindianinexpedientinfamousinferiorinfernaliniquitousinkink-blackinkinessinkyinsidiousinterdictinvalid
Adjective(10 words)
Related words (244)
ivory blackjapanjetjettyjigaboojoylessjungle bunnyknavishlampblacklibellowloweringlugubriousmalayanmalevolentmaliciousmalignantmanmelancholymelanian
Show 189 more words
melanicmelanismmelanisticmelanomelanoticmelanousmenacingmidnightmister charleymongolianmonstrousmoodishmoodymopeymopingmopishmorosemourningmourning bandmuckymuddymumpishmurkmurkynastynaughtynefariousnegrillonegritonegroniggerniggranightnight-blacknight-cladnight-cloakednight-darknight-enshroudednight-fillednight-mantlednight-veilednigrescencenigritudenigrousobfuscateobfuscatedobscureobscuredoccultoccultedof evil portentofayominousonyxoppressiveorientalout-and-outoutrageousoutrightovercastovershadowpalefacepeccantperfectperfidiouspitchpitch blackpitch-blackpitch-darkpitchyportendingportentouspositivepygmyrankravenraven-blackraylessred indianred manredskinregularreprehensiblereprobateresentfulruinoussablesackclothsackcloth and ashessatanicsaturninescandalousscowlingscurvyshadeshadowshamefulsinfulsinisterslanderslant-eyeslatesloesloe-blacksloe-coloredslursmearsmirchsmokesmudgesmutsoilsoilysolemnsombersombresombroussootsootysordidspadespotsqualidstainstarlessstygiansulkysullensullysunlesssurlyswartswarthytartar-blacktarrytenebrioustenebrosetenebrousthe manthoroughgoingthreateningthrow mud attraducetragictreacheroustristeuncleanuncleanlyunconscionableunfavorableunforgivableunfortunateunhappyunhealthyunilluminatedunkindunlightedunlitunluckyunpardonableunpleasantunprincipledunpromisingunpropitiousunscrupulousunskillfulunspeakableuntowardunworthyviciousvilevilifyvillainouswaspwearifulwearisomewearyweedswhitewhite manwhiteywickedwoebegonewrathfulwreckfulwrongyellow manyew
Adjective(10 words)
Noun(14 words)
lightlessnessliquoricemelancholicnegronegroidnegrosneronigeronyxopaquepitch blacknesssablestotal darknessuninterpretable
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abominable, absolute, african-american, american indian, amerind.
- Sentence evidence is available for black, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, derived_reverse, wiktionary, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "black".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "black"
Keep "black" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "black" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "black", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "black" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
26 entriesShowing 16 of 26 words.
More specific
13 entriesBlack communityBlack diasporaBlack professionalsblack hatblack marketblack-box modelblack-box testingcoal blackgrim dramajet blackmelancholic prosepitch blacksomber tone
Collocations
7 entriesblack boxblack coffeeblack colorblack holeblack inkblack marketblack pepper
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
11 entriesAntonyms
2 entriessimilar
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
Translations
20 translations across 18 languages.
Danish
1 entries- sort adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Dutch
1 entries- zwart adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Finnish
2 entries- musta adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
- mustaherukka noun (blackcurrant syrup in mixed drinks)
French
1 entries- noir adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Galician
1 entries- só adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
German
1 entries- schwarz adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Greek
1 entries- σκέτος adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Hungarian
1 entries- fekete adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Macedonian
1 entries- црн adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Mizo
1 entries- sen adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- svart adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Portuguese
1 entries- preto adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Romanian
1 entries- negru adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Russian
1 entries- чёрный adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Spanish
1 entries- negro adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Swedish
1 entries- svart adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Tamil
2 entries- கட்டை adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
- வற adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Turkish
1 entries- katran adj (of coffee or tea, without milk or other whitener)
Sample sentences
75 total sentences available.
Did you buy it on the black market?
Source: tatoeba (16551)
The fish is burnt black.
Source: tatoeba (19368)
I asked the student what image he had of black people.
Source: tatoeba (21411)
Showing 4 of 75 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "black"?
Closest matches include abominable, absolute, african-american, american indian, amerind.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "black"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.