blackened
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
To be blackened means to become darkened or charred, often as a result of burning. It can also describe the appearance of blood gathering and spreading beneath the skin in a way that makes it appear darker. Charred vegetables on a grill can be described as blackened from the high heat. Similarly, a piece of toast that is forgotten in the toaster until it's nearly burnt is also blackened. This word can also describe surfaces that have been darkened by smoke or soot, such as the walls of a fireplace. Things can become blackened as a result of cooking, fire, or even age, giving objects a dark, charred appearance.
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.
The aggressive Plaskett fire overtook the Timber fire in size, and together they have blackened more than 50,000 acres.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
A hunting lodge stands beside pine forest burned by a wildfire that started July 22 and blackened about 104,000 acres in and around Le Porge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Salisbury was colorful: A mixed martial arts enthusiast, he once appeared at the agency’s headquarters with his face bruised and eye blackened from a recent bout.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
From damaged port infrastructure to listing ships with bridges blackened and containers still smouldering, the evidence is everywhere.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
As he scrubbed the blackened cooking pot, he hurriedly told Shifa about Zheng over the sound of the sloshing water.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
