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dark

dark

∞ 1.0
With little or no light and not bright
  • adjective
  • /dɑrk/
: oscuro
  • The cave was so dark that we needed flashlights to find our way inside.
  • dark room
  • light and dark
  • dark night

So around that scroll, these clouds, dark clouds started to build.

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Examples

  • It's hot and dark, and the lot is unlit.

  • And why is the house so dark?

  • OK, I want to see how dark this is.

  • I was lost in some dark forest, looking for him.

  • Of course, it was pretty dark out on that platform.

  • There were no lights; it was as dark as the bottom of a pocket.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Massive windows let in light, in contrast to the dark corridors of the old hospital.

    Academic text (2008)
  • It'll be dark before long and mighty cold.

  • It was beginning to get dark when they spied a small light coming from a house.

  • Giant squids live in the cold, dark, high pressure twilight zone.

Synonyms

black
vsdark
∞ 1.0

Very dark in color like coal or the night

includes that deepest colour but also any low light state
pitch-black
vsdark
23 3.4

Completely dark with no light

is about having little or no light rather than total absence
shadowy
vsdark
22 3.3

A place that is partly dark because of shade

is more general, applying to both full and partial lack of light
gloomy
vsdark
22 2.3

Dark and not well lit so a place feels sad

is the neutral physical absence of light without emotional tone
dark-colored
vsdark
  • US
21 1.3

Having a dark shade, like deep blue or black

is wider, also meaning little or no light in a place
shadowed
vsdark
10 3.5

Darker because something blocks the light

is broader, covering any low light, shaded, or black look
pitch black
vsdark
9 3.2

Completely dark with no light at all

covers low light conditions as well as total absence of light
jet-black
vsdark
8 3.9

Very black like coal or a dark night

is more general, covering low light and deep shades
jet black
vsdark
6 2.8

A very dark colour like shiny coal

is broader, applying to low light or deep tones generally
pitch-dark
vsdark
5 3.4

There is no light at all, like a room with no windows

also includes less extreme low light or shaded conditions
lightless
vsdark
2 5.1

Completely dark so you cannot see anything

can mean low light as well as places with no light
somber
vsdark
  • US
1 4.2

Dark and dull in color, not bright

is more general, meaning low light as well as dull tones
ink-black
vsdark
1 3.2

Very dark black like raven feathers in the sun

is the wider term for low light or low brightness appearance
darkish
vsdark
1 2.0

A little less light in color than usual

includes both slight and much deeper shaded appearances under low light
underlit
vsdark
1 5.3

Not having enough light so things look dark

is the general term for low light or shaded appearance
darkling
vsdark
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Happening at night or in the dark

is the neutral visual state of little or no light, not time related
darksome
vsdark
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Dark and gloomy in a way that makes you feel uncertain or afraid

is the plain visual lack of brightness without mystery
atramentous
vsdark
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Very dark, almost black, in color or very sad and gloomy

focuses on low light without implying mood or feeling
dusky-colored
vsdark
1 5.5

Having a soft dark color like the sky at dusk

covers that slight dimness and stronger low light states too
semidark
vsdark
1 5.1

Partly dark with only a little light

also applies to places with much less or no light at all

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Brightness from the sun, lamps, or fire that makes things visible

510 1.0

Full of strong light that makes a place easy to see

Idioms

in the dark
  • Informal
69 5.5

Not told about important things, so you do not know them

To guess or try something without much information

down a dark path
  • Informal
1 8.2

To start behaving in a bad or dangerous way that harms your life

1 9.3

To say something that has little effect and only comforts you

1 7.5

Focus on the bad parts of a situation and expect the worst

Compounds

143 5.7

Parts of a person, thing or situation that are hidden and harmful

dark matter
  • Specialized
52 7.5

An invisible substance that does not give off or take in light and pulls things by gravity

45 7.5

A time in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire when people had less learning and trade

39 2.2

A person who has naturally dark skin

36 1.0

Having a deep blue color

29 1.0

A deep brown color like wood or earth

23 1.5

A person with dark hair like black or brown

21 1.3

Having a dark shade, like deep blue or black

A kind of chocolate that has lots of cocoa, little or no milk, and less sugar than milk chocolate

17 1.0

A deep shade of green like pine needles

dark cloud
  • Informal
16 4.2

Sadness or worry that affects groups such as families and companies

14 1.0

Glasses with dark lenses that protect your eyes from bright sunlight

14 2.0

Meat from the legs and thighs of a bird that is darker and juicier than breast meat

13 1.0

A very deep grey color that reflects little light

12 4.8

A person or team not well known who unexpectedly wins

10 1.0

A deep red color that is not bright

The half of the Moon that we never see from Earth

5 3.4

There is no light at all, like a room with no windows

4 5.3

Funny stories that use shocking or sad topics to make people laugh

3 1.0

A deep, rich blue color darker than normal blue

2 6.3

A time in the past with painful or troubling events

An evil part of a mysterious power that bad characters use in Star Wars

A place with little light that is damp and unpleasant

dark blue
  • Literature
1 6.3

In US politics, strongly supporting the Democratic Party, often describing voters or areas that usually vote Democratic

dark joke
  • Informal
1 7.1

A joke that treats serious or painful subjects as funny and may upset some people

1 2.7

A loaf made from whole wheat or other dark flours

dark-field microscope
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A microscope that makes tiny particles too small for an ordinary microscope appear bright on a dark background

1 4.1

Having dark marks on the surface or skin

dark lantern
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A lantern with a sliding cover that hides its light

dark adaptation
  • Specialized
1 6.5

The eyes become more sensitive after bright light so you can see in low light

Harmful effects of modern tools and devices that hurt people and society, for example losing privacy or loneliness

1 7.3

A small North American sparrow with grey feathers and dark eyes

1 9.9

A very early time in the morning before dawn that people say as a joke

dark-fruited
  • Specialized
1 6.9

Having dark fruit like grapes or berries

Dark Brandon
  • Slang
9.9

A joke name or image that shows US President Joe Biden as powerful and serious in online memes

7.5

A way of lighting a sample under a microscope to make tiny things look bright against a dark background

6.5

A way to see tiny things under a microscope as bright shapes on a dark background

oh dark hundred
  • Informal
9.9

A funny way to say a very early time before dawn

How Bright

bright
510 1.0
dim
74 1.0
dark
∞ 1.0
black
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

dark positive
darker comparative
darkest superlative

Etymology

Dark comes from an old Germanic word deorc that meant 'without light' or 'hidden', and it is related to German dunkel which also means 'dark'. So dark today describes something that has little or no light.