darker

ADJECTIVE

lack of light

Synonyms

STRONGEST

black cloudy darkened dim dingy drab dull foggy gloomy misty murky overcast shadowy somber

STRONG

dun dusk faint

WEAK

aphotic atramentous blackish caliginous cimmerian clouded crepuscular dusky grimy ill-lighted indistinct inky lightless lurid nebulous obfuscous obscure opaque pitch-black pitch-dark pitchy rayless shaded shady sooty stygian sunless tenebrous unlighted unlit vague

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful clean clear distinct good happy intelligent joyful light luminous smart sparkling sunny vivacious

WEAK

apparent brilliant encouraging evident hopeful illuminated lucid manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

ADJECTIVE

shaded complexion, hair

Synonyms

STRONGEST

black tan

STRONG

brunet brunette ebony sable

WEAK

adumbral bistered dark-complexioned dark-skinned dusky ebon swart swarthy

Antonyms

WEAK

apparent bright brilliant cheerful distinct encouraging evident good happy hopeful illuminated light lucid luminous manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

ADJECTIVE

hidden, secret

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deep mysterious

STRONG

mystic occult

WEAK

Delphian abstruse anagogic arcane cabalistic complicated concealed cryptic enigmatic esoteric intricate knotty mystical mystifying not known obscure puzzling recondite

Antonyms

WEAK

apparent bright brilliant cheerful distinct encouraging evident good happy hopeful illuminated light lucid luminous manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

ADJECTIVE

grim, hopeless

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bleak drab gloomy ominous sinister somber

STRONG

foreboding

WEAK

cheerless dismal doleful joyless morbid morose mournful unpropitious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful encouraging happy joyful nice sunny

WEAK

apparent brilliant distinct evident good hopeful illuminated light lucid luminous manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

ADJECTIVE

evil, satanic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

sinister

STRONG

bad foul infernal

WEAK

atrocious corrupt damnable hellish horrible immoral infamous nefarious sinful vile wicked

Antonyms

STRONG

good honest just

WEAK

apparent bright brilliant cheerful distinct encouraging evident happy hopeful illuminated light lucid luminous manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

ADJECTIVE

ignorant

Synonyms

WEAK

benighted uncultivated unenlightened unlettered unread

Antonyms

WEAK

apparent bright brilliant cheerful distinct encouraging evident good happy hopeful illuminated light lucid luminous manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

ADJECTIVE

angry, upset

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ominous

STRONG

forbidding sulky

WEAK

dour frowning glowering glum scowling sullen threatening

Antonyms

WEAK

apparent bright brilliant cheerful distinct encouraging evident good happy hopeful illuminated light lucid luminous manifest moral plain pleased radiant shining visible vivid

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In general, leopards living in open habitats tend to be larger and paler, while those in forested areas are often smaller and darker.

From Science Daily • Jun. 24, 2026

Bright snow and ice reflect much of the sun's heat back into space, but as they melt they reveal darker, heat-absorbing surfaces such as land and the ocean.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

Experts also speculate that the darker blue color may be helping the Reflecting Pool absorb more heat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026

"The truth is far more sinister and darker than that."

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

Closer and closer came the line of trees, and darker and darker grew the wasteland.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer