- to make or become dark or darker
- to make or become gloomy, angry, or sad: his mood darkened
- darken someone's door ⇒ (usually used with a negative) to visit someone: never darken my door again!
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
dark•en /ˈdɑrkən/USA pronunciation
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to (cause to) become dark or darker: [no object]The sky darkened and a huge storm rolled in.[ ~ + obj]:We darkened the house by blocking all the windows.
- to (cause to) become gloomy;
sadden;
dampen: [no obj]:Her mood steadily darkened.[ ~ + obj]:Those setbacks darkened his mood.
dark•en
(där′kən),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
dark′en•er, n.
- to make dark or darker.
- to make obscure.
- to make less white or clear in color.
- to make gloomy;
sadden:He darkened the festivities by his presence. - to make blind.
v.i.
- to become dark or darker.
- to become obscure.
- to become less white or clear in color.
- to grow clouded, as with gloom or anger.
- to become blind.
- Idioms darken someone's door, to come to visit;
make an appearance:Never darken my door again!
- Middle English derknen. See dark, -en1 1250–1300
- 4. depress, dispirit, blacken, deject.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
darken /ˈdɑːkən/ vb
'darkening' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
amaurosis
- mascara
- blackhead
- brown-eyed Susan
- harp seal
- hatchettite
- obscuration
- photochromic
- tanning