What does darken mean?
Darken is an English verb with two complementary uses: transitively, it means to make something dark or darker, as when clouds darken the sky or curtains darken a room; intransitively, it means to become dark, as when evening falls. Beyond physical darkness, darken is frequently used figuratively to describe moods, expressions, and prospects — a person's face may darken with anger, or economic forecasts may darken as conditions worsen — lending the word a somber, sometimes ominous connotation. Formed from the adjective "dark" with the verb-forming suffix "-en", it follows a productive English pattern seen in words like "widen" and "soften". Common collocations include "darken someone's doorstep," an idiom meaning to visit someone unwanted, usually in prohibitions such as "never darken my door again." Versatile and vivid, darken appears in everyday speech, journalism, and literary prose alike, making it a valuable word for describing both literal changes in light and metaphorical shifts in atmosphere.
To make something dark or darker in color, brightness, or tone.
"Heavy clouds darkened the valley long before sunset."
Also used figuratively: "The scandal darkened his reputation."
To become dark or darker.
"The sky began to darken as the storm approached."
Commonly applied to skies, weather, rooms, and, figuratively, to faces and moods.
The idiom "don't darken my door again" turns a simple verb about shadows into one of English's most dramatic ways to banish someone forever.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of darken
Darken was formed in Middle English from the adjective "dark," itself of Germanic origin (Old English "deorc"), combined with the suffix "-en" that converts adjectives into verbs, as in "whiten" and "quicken." It has been in continuous use since the Middle English period, developing its literal and figurative senses side by side. Its relatives include "darkness" and "darkly," all descended from the same Germanic root; it has no Romance cognates.
Related word forms
How darken is actually used
Neutral register, common in both everyday speech and literature. When applied to moods or expressions it is figurative and slightly literary. The transitive sense (to make dark) and intransitive sense (to become dark) are equally standard; context determines which applies.
Easily confused with darken
"Darkle" is a rare back-formation meaning to appear dark or lurk in the dark, whereas "darken" is the common verb for making or becoming dark.