1
as in stains
to make dirty
blackened the towels with their dirty hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in libels
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in darkens
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackens
Verb
-
This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
-
Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.—
Verb
-
This higher temperature darkens the paste, slightly caramelizes the sugar, and deactivates enzymes that would otherwise break down pectin, resulting in a thicker, more cooked-tasting product.—
-
Every night from January 2 – 4, the super Wolf Moon can be seen in the eastern sky as the sky darkens, rising higher and moving southward as midnight draws near, according to BBC Sky at Night Magazine.—
Verb
-
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.—
-
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!—
Verb
-
In this way, Berlin and New York were linked as though through an imaginary tunnel that gave passage to the hidden or half-glimpsed sexualities that heteropatriarchy silences and obscures.—
-
This deliberately obscures the possibility that some victims were lactating female bears — and for every dead mother, there was probably at least one cub in danger of dying from starvation.—
Verb
-
For all the ways Disney’s move sullies it with creatives in Hollywood, OpenAI’s new partner does the opposite — gives it massive cred in Silicon Valley.—
Verb
-
To show him who’s boss, Catherine turns around and buys Pac-North, humiliates him by closing it, and forces him back to Grey Sloan.—
-
There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.—
Verb
-
About Modern Work Spaces Hackl says that efficient workflows are still the primary goal, but the concept has changed in a way that blurs the lines of the classic three-sided shape.—
-
Squire’s story blurs ideological lines.—
Verb
-
The eggs were fluffy, lacking any of the rubbery slop that besmirches lesser breakfast burritos.—
-
This cynicism inevitably besmirches players, coaches, and referees who have no ties to gambling.—
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.
Cite this Entry
“Blackens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackens. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
