blacken

[ blak-uhn ]

/ ˈblæk ən /

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See synonyms for: blacken / blackened on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to make black; darken.

to speak evil of; defame: to blacken a person's reputation.

verb (used without object)

to grow or become black.

OTHER WORDS FOR blacken

2 denigrate, smear, slander, villify, libel, traduce, calumniate.

See synonyms for blacken on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

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"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

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Origin of blacken

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at black, -en¹

OTHER WORDS FROM blacken

black·en·er, noun

Words nearby blacken

black dog, black duck, black dwarf, black earth, black economy, blacken, blackened, Black English, Blackett, black eye, black-eyed pea

How to use blacken in a sentence

They rebuilt a simple, one-room cabin on the blackened site.
At Glacier’s Edge, the Flames Have Always Come for My Family Cabin|jversteegh|August 20, 2021|Outside Online
He was notably plump for a small reptile, and the end of his tail was missing, blackened.
I Thought I Was a Lifelong New Yorker, but Found Happiness in Reno|Svati Narula|August 12, 2021|Outside Online
A sweet choice is great for lending a sugary punch to a savory bun or a heavily salted piece of meat, or to offset a spicy or heavily seasoned dish like jerk wings or blackened salmon.
The Ultimate Guide to Barbecue Sauces|Lazarus Lynch|June 11, 2021|Eater
Turn them regularly until charred all over and tender, then allow to cool enough so you can peel off the blackened skins and purée into dip.
The Best Way to Enjoy Summer Produce Is Over the Grill|Aliza Abarbanel|June 11, 2021|Eater

His forehead was bruised, his eyes were blackened and his neck was scored with scratches.
The Child Care Industry Was Collapsing. Mrs. Jackie Bet Everything on an Impossible Dream to Save It.|by Lizzie Presser|May 1, 2021|ProPublica
Because of a quibble on his part this loathsome thing would ruin his future, dash his hopes to the ground, blacken his life.
The Everlasting Arms|Joseph Hocking
The river pool commenced to blacken, while flowering rushes tossed their shivering heads and murmured.
Menotah|Ernest G. Henham
"Too bad of you to blacken me to her like that," remarked the judge.
The Opened Shutters|Clara Louise Burnham
They have done what they could to blacken his name; and to this day the shadow they have cast upon it in part remains.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume XIII|John Lord
These lawyers who are coming will blacken lots of paper, and talk a great deal of useless stuff.
Columba|Prosper Merimee

British Dictionary definitions for blacken

blacken

/ (ˈblækən) /

verb

to make or become black or dirty

(tr) to defame; slander (esp in the phrase blacken someone's name)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

blacken

OTHER WORDS FOR blacken

Origin of blacken

OTHER WORDS FROM blacken

Words nearby blacken

Words related to blacken

How to use blacken in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for blacken