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dark side

dark side

106 5.7
Parts of a person, thing or situation that are hidden and harmful
  • noun
translation icon : lado oscuro
  • How could you turn to the dark side of science?
  • dark side of human nature
  • reveal the dark side
  • dark side of globalization

You remain a light on the dark side of me.

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Examples

  • Well, Mr. Sleepyhead must have some major ties to the dark side.

  • The dark side of ambition.

  • You know, this is the dark side of the light.

  • So tell me about your dark side and where and what it came from.

  • I like the dark side more than the right side.

  • I have just as much of a dark side as the next person.

  • Before you say anything, let me just say that Jane has a tendency to look on the dark side of things.

  • Ultimately, most narcissistic folks will show you their dark side if you stick around long enough.

  • We often acknowledge that humans have a hidden "dark side" that comes out to play, hurting others.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Many people are unaware of the dark side of fame and how it can affect a person's mental health.

Synonyms

evil
vsdark side
3.0

Bad actions or a force that harms people

focuses on negative, hidden or questionable aspects rather than general moral force
darkness
vsdark side
  • Literature
244 6.3

A state where people act in evil or harmful ways

adds the idea of hidden, questionable aspects rather than overall lack of values
wickedness
vsdark side
28 5.2

A state of being morally wrong or evil

stresses hidden or less visible negative aspects rather than broad moral state
villainy
vsdark side
16 8.1

Very bad actions that hurt other people

emphasises hidden negative aspects of a person or thing rather than specific acts
evilness
vsdark side
8 6.5

A quality of doing very bad things and wanting to harm people

focuses more on specific hidden or less visible negative sides rather than general wrongness
maliciousness
vsdark side
2 7.5

A wish to hurt or make other people suffer

is about morally questionable sides in general, not just harmful intent
nefariousness
vsdark side
  • Formal
1 9.6

Very evil behaviour that harms other people

is less about intensity and more about hidden or questionable aspects
nightside
vsdark side
7.5

The dark side of something, like crime or loneliness

highlights moral badness specifically rather than merely hidden unpleasantness
villainousness
vsdark side
9.2

Being very bad and cruel to other people

is more about particular hidden aspects or sides rather than a general state

How Evil

dark side
106 5.7
malevolent
22 8.0

Surface Forms

dark side singular
dark sides plural

Morphology

dark + side

The compound meaning ('negative, morally questionable aspect') is built from 'dark' (metaphorically negative/evil) + 'side' (an aspect), so a learner who recognizes the metaphorical use of 'dark' can immediately derive the sense. However, the meaning relies on a figurative extension of 'dark' (not purely literal), so learners who only know the concrete sense of 'dark' may not infer it without exposure; the pattern is common cross-linguistically, making it partly but not fully transparent.

Etymology

Dark side may come from the simple picture of a part of something that is in shadow: the dark side of the moon is hidden from view. So, people use it for the 'negative' or 'hidden' parts of a person, thing, or situation.