darken

Meaning

1. (transitive) To make dark or darker by reducing light.
2. (intransitive) To become dark or darker (having less light).
3. (impersonal) To get dark (referring to the sky, either in the evening or as a result of cloud).
4. (transitive) To make dark or darker in colour.
5. (intransitive) To become dark or darker in colour.
6. (transitive) To render gloomy, darker in mood.
7. (intransitive) To become gloomy, darker in mood.
8. (transitive) To blind, impair the eyesight.
9. (intransitive) To be blinded, lose one’s eyesight.
10. (transitive) To cloud, obscure, or perplex; to render less clear or intelligible.
11. (transitive) To make foul; to sully; to tarnish.
12. (intransitive) To be extinguished or deprived of vitality, to die.

Synonyms

obscure

grow dark

get dark

blacken

cloud

☁️

dark

become dark

make dark

dim

sadden

grow black

black

overshadow

eclipse

obfuscate

shade

make black

embrown

benight

block out

darkle

depress

distress

extinguish

lour

murk

overcast

overcloud

shadow

spot

stain

tarnish

threaten

upset

wane

grow dim

Sotho

be clouded

bedim

lower

make sad

cloudy

☁️

cloud over

turn brown

take on a darker colour

bruise

pall

brown

blur

be obscured

Translations

oscurecer

oscurarsi

sich verdunkeln

oscurare

verdunkeln

oscurecerse

obscurcir

s’assombrir

foncer

s’obscurcir

dunkeln

scurire

incupire

σκοτεινιάζω

αμαυρώνω

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɑɹkən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: derkenen

Cognate with Scots: derken

Cognate with Old High German: tarchanjan

Cognate with Middle High German: terken

In summary

From Middle English derkenen, dirkenen, from Old English *deorcnian, *diercnian (“to darken”), from Proto-West Germanic *dirkinōn (“to darken”), equivalent to dark + -en.
Cognate with Scots derken, durken (“to darken”), Old High German tarchanjan, terchinen (“to darken”), Middle High German terken, derken (“to darken”).