Englishdarkness
Definition
- : the quality or state of being dark: such as: the total or near total absence of light //There was almost no light when he opened his eyes again. The darkness of night was thick and for a moment he began to panic again. — Gary Paulsen: the quality of being dark in shade or color //the darkness of the old wooden floor //the darkness of these blues and greens : dark color or colors //In O'Donnell's paintings, darkness pre-dominates. If there are bright colors, they are painted over a deep-hued ground. — Richard Kalina: the quality of being dark in complexion //Other kids teased him mercilessly for the darkness of his skin and his beanpole physique. — Jeffri Chadiha: a gloomy or depressed state or tone //I've tried a number of different mental techniques, mostly prayer, visualization, and meditation, but nothing has worked to lighten my darkness. — Will Manley //And the other darkness was a tremendous sorrow, a deep sadness that her mother was dead and that the princess could, now, only talk to her in her dreams. — Kate DiCamillo //What, I wondered, did the good man of the cloth make of the reckless humor, the anger and the darkness of those late works? — Russell Banks: evil //From the same source he drew the picture of a heavenly visitor, a god who comes to earth to impart true knowledge … and save humanity from the powers of darkness. — J. Louis Martyn: a lack of knowledge or enlightenment //In 1492, the intellectual darkness that shrouded Europe for centuries was slowly, almost grudgingly lifting. — Bob Fisher
Examples
- //the raiding party snuck up under cover of darkness
- //the darkness of certain passages in the Book of Revelation
- //let's wait for darkness before telling ghost stories
- //the darkness of that period of my life is best forgotten
First Known Use
before 12th century, in the meaning defined aboveHistory and Etymology
Middle English derknesse, going back to Old English deorcnysse, from deorc dark entry 1 + -nysse -nessdarkness
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms
- a time or place of little or no light //the raiding party snuck up under cover of darknessSynonymsRelated WordsNear AntonymsAntonyms
- the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning //the darkness of certain passages in the Book of RevelationSynonymsRelated WordsNear AntonymsAntonyms
- the time from sunset to sunrise when there is no visible sunlight //let's wait for darkness before telling ghost storiesNear Antonyms
darkness
Definition
- : the quality or state of being dark: such as: the total or near total absence of light //There was almost no light when he opened his eyes again. The darkness of night was thick and for a moment he began to panic again. — Gary Paulsen: the quality of being dark in shade or color //the darkness of the old wooden floor //the darkness of these blues and greens : dark color or colors //In O'Donnell's paintings, darkness pre-dominates. If there are bright colors, they are painted over a deep-hued ground. — Richard Kalina: the quality of being dark in complexion //Other kids teased him mercilessly for the darkness of his skin and his beanpole physique. — Jeffri Chadiha: a gloomy or depressed state or tone //I've tried a number of different mental techniques, mostly prayer, visualization, and meditation, but nothing has worked to lighten my darkness. — Will Manley //And the other darkness was a tremendous sorrow, a deep sadness that her mother was dead and that the princess could, now, only talk to her in her dreams. — Kate DiCamillo //What, I wondered, did the good man of the cloth make of the reckless humor, the anger and the darkness of those late works? — Russell Banks: evil //From the same source he drew the picture of a heavenly visitor, a god who comes to earth to impart true knowledge … and save humanity from the powers of darkness. — J. Louis Martyn: a lack of knowledge or enlightenment //In 1492, the intellectual darkness that shrouded Europe for centuries was slowly, almost grudgingly lifting. — Bob Fisher
Examples
- //the raiding party snuck up under cover of darkness
- //the darkness of certain passages in the Book of Revelation
- //let's wait for darkness before telling ghost stories
- //the darkness of that period of my life is best forgotten
First Known Use
before 12th century, in the meaning defined aboveHistory and Etymology
Middle English derknesse, going back to Old English deorcnysse, from deorc dark entry 1 + -nysse -nessdarkness
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms
- a time or place of little or no light //the raiding party snuck up under cover of darknessSynonymsRelated WordsNear AntonymsAntonyms
- the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning //the darkness of certain passages in the Book of RevelationSynonymsRelated WordsNear AntonymsAntonyms
- the time from sunset to sunrise when there is no visible sunlight //let's wait for darkness before telling ghost storiesNear Antonyms