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Definitions

darkness

[dahrk-nis] / ˈdɑrk nɪs /
NOUN
absence of light
Synonyms
STRONGEST
blackness dark dusk gloom night obscurity
STRONG
blackout brownout crepuscule dimness eclipse lightlessness murk murkiness nightfall pitch-darkness shade shadows twilight
WEAK
Cimmerian shade cloudiness smokiness tenebrosity
Antonyms
STRONGEST
brightness light lightness
WEAK
day daylight daytime illumination morning
NOUN
gloom, grimness
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bleakness despair despondency dysphoria gloom grimness melancholy morbidity negativity
STRONG
depression misery moroseness
WEAK
doom
Antonyms
STRONGEST
blitheness cheer gaiety lightheartedness lightness optimism
NOUN
concealment, secrecy
Synonyms
STRONGEST
mystery secrecy
STRONG
concealment denseness inscrutability obscurity privacy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
revelation
WEAK
light openness
NOUN
lack of awareness
Synonyms
STRONGEST
ignorance unawareness
STRONG
oblivion
WEAK
seclusion
Antonyms
STRONGEST
awareness enlightenment knowledge
WEAK
illumination

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“There is something ruthless and utterly devoid of sanity at the heart of this film industry, and I’ve never felt that darkness as clear as in ‘Mulholland Drive,’” she says.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Residents described how about 30 lorries delivered hardcore materials under the cover of darkness as work began on Friday.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

The planet is tidally locked, meaning one side permanently faces the star while the other remains in darkness.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

The finale is a ringing collective anthem celebrating having moved through the darkness into the light.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Immediately we blew into the darkness and the ride was madness.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Vocabulary lists containing darkness

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ness

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