Meaning & use

dark

adjective·Everyday

Having little or no light; also describing a somber, gloomy, or sinister quality.

See it in a sentence

The basement was so dark that she had to feel her way to the light switch.

The film took a dark turn in its final act.

A note on using this word

Dark can describe literal lack of light or a figurative mood, tone, or theme, such as dark humor.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. noun

The absence of light, or the period of night.

She was afraid of the dark as a young child and slept with a lamp on.

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