The sky suddenly began to darken.
Source: tatoeba (37899)
Darken
/ˈdɑɹkən/
Synonyms for "darken" (205 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (41)
Strong matches (62)
Related words (102)
enmistexcecateflushfogglaregloamgloomglowgougegrow darkgrow dimhazehoodwinkinkknock downlook blacklourlowerlower the spiritsmake blind
Show 53 more words
mantlemarkmelanizemistmurknigrifynubilateobfuscateobnubilateobscureobumbrateoccultoccultateopaqueoppressovercastovercloudovershadowoversmokepalepress downreddensaddenscorchsearshadeshadowsingesinkslubberslursmearsmirchsmogsmokesmudgesmutsmutchsnow-blindsoilsombersootstainstigmatizestrike blindtainttarnishturn colorturn paleturn redweigh heavy uponweigh uponwhiten
Verb(15 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adumbrate, adumbrates, attaint, bandage, beat down.
- Sentence evidence is available for darken, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss.
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 "darken".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "darken"
Keep "darken" 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 "darken" 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 "darken", 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 "darken" 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
11 entriesMore specific
9 entriesCollocations
6 entriesInflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
2 entriesTranslations
50 translations across 22 languages.
Albanian
2 entries- ngrys verb (to become darker (less bright))
- ngrys verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Ancient Greek
1 entries- ἀμαυρόομαι verb (to become darker (less bright))
Armenian
2 entries- մգացնել verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
- մթնել verb (to become darker (less bright))
Azerbaijani
3 entries- qaralmaq verb (to become darker (less bright))
- qaraltmaq verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
- toralmaq verb (to become darker (less bright))
Basque
1 entries- goibeldu verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Bulgarian
1 entries- потъмнявам verb (to become darker (less bright))
Dutch
3 entries- donker worden verb (to become darker (less bright))
- donkerder kleuren verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
- donkerder maken verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Esperanto
2 entries- malheliĝi verb (to become darker (less bright))
- mallumiĝi verb (to become darker (less bright))
Finnish
2 entries- pimentyä verb (to become darker (less bright))
- tummentaa verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
French
3 entries- assombrir verb (to become darker (less bright))
- foncer verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
- obscurcir verb (to become darker (less bright))
Galician
4 entries- abazanar verb (to become darker (less bright))
- abazanar verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
- amourear verb (to become darker (less bright))
- amourear verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
German
1 entries- verdunkeln verb (to become darker (less bright))
Gothic
1 entries- 𐍂𐌹𐌵𐌹𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 verb (to become darker (less bright))
Icelandic
1 entries- dekkja verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Italian
2 entries- imbrunire verb (to become darker (less bright))
- imbrunire verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Māori
1 entries- whakauriuri verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Old English
1 entries- nīpan verb (to become darker (less bright))
Polish
2 entries- ciemnieć verb (to become darker (less bright))
- ściemnieć verb (to become darker (less bright))
Quechua
1 entries- arphayay verb (to become darker (less bright))
Romagnol
2 entries- imbrunìr verb (to become darker (less bright))
- imbrunìr verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
Russian
2 entries- затемнять verb (to make dark(er) in colour)
- темне́ть verb (to become darker (less bright))
Swedish
1 entries- mörkna verb (to become darker (less bright))
Sample sentences
35 total sentences available.
Don't you ever darken my door again!
Source: tatoeba (280970)
You should darken the colours a little.
Source: tatoeba (3270994)
The jealousy is starting to darken Tom's mind.
Source: tatoeba (3505479)
Showing 4 of 35 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "darken"?
Closest matches include adumbrate, adumbrates, attaint, bandage, beat down.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "darken"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.