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dawning

dawning

14 3.7
The time when the first light appears in the morning
  • noun
  • /ˈdɔːnɪŋ/
translation icon : amanecer
  • As dawn broke, the dawning light painted the sky in shades of purple and orange.
  • the dawning of a new day
  • the dawning of the day

Examples

  • The chirping of birds heralded the dawning of a new day in Woodland Park, New Jersey.

  • And so, from the ashes of this tragedy... we shall welcome the dawning of a new era.

  • And face a new day dawning

  • Brothers and sisters, this is a dawning of a new day.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Today is the dawning of a new era here at Morgan.

  • This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.

  • Although the reasons are omnipresent, the dawning of the new millennium provides a window of opportunity to make dramatic progress.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Helene studied him intently, her face alight with curiosity, caution, and the dawning of understanding.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • With the dawning of morning, the city began to stir and come to life.

Synonyms

dawn
vsdawning
386 1.0

The first light in the sky before the sun rises

is the term for the whole beginning period rather than a single moment
sunrise
vsdawning
220 1.0

The time in the morning when the sun comes up and day begins

is earlier, meaning the first light that comes before the sun arrives
first light
vsdawning
34 1.7

The time in the morning when the sky starts to get bright

is used for the general beginning of daylight rather than that single moment
daybreak
vsdawning
29 1.0

The time in the early morning when light first appears in the sky

focuses on the starting phase of daylight more than a single instant
crack of dawn
vsdawning
  • Informal
19 3.2

Very early in the morning when the sun first appears

is earlier, indicating first light rather than the sun's actual rise
sunup
vsdawning
  • Informal
13 1.0

The time in the morning when the sun first appears above the horizon

occurs earlier, at the initial appearance of light before the sun shows
break of day
vsdawning
4 1.0

The first light of morning when the sun rises

means the general beginning of daylight rather than only that instant
start of the day
vsdawning
1 1.4

The early part of the morning when people begin daily activities

refers specifically to initial daylight rather than the general start of daily routines
cockcrow
vsdawning
  • Archaic
1 9.1

The time very early in the morning when light first appears

describes the broader start of daylight rather than that single early moment
dayspring
vsdawning
  • Archaic
1 9.9

First light in the morning when the sky begins to get bright

refers to the broader early period when daylight begins, not only appearance
peep of day
vsdawning
  • Archaic
9.5

Very early morning when the first light comes

is the general early daylight period, not only the faint initial light
aurora
vsdawning
  • Literature
8.6

The first light of day when the sky begins to brighten

is a neutral term for the beginning of daylight rather than poetic usage
dawnlight
vsdawning
3.9

Soft pale light that appears in the sky just before sunrise

refers to the time when light first appears rather than the light's quality

Antonyms

1.0

The time when a person sleeps from going to bed until waking in the morning

How Bright

daylight
294 1.0
sunrise
220 1.0
dawning
14 3.7
predawn
8 3.0
night
1.0

Surface Forms

dawning singular
dawnings plural

Morphology

dawning = dawn (transparent) = dawn + ing

A regular -ing nominalization/gerund of the verb 'dawn', so the meaning 'the beginning of daylight' is directly derived from 'dawn'.

Etymology

Dawning comes from the old word dawn, which means 'to become day' and is related to the simple word day. So, dawning is the moment when the first light appears and a new day begins.