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.
One popular order is the Diaspora Delight with blackened salmon and jollof rice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
Supermarket shelves stacked with products blackened from the fire were stacked up beneath a cratered ceiling and behind blown-out windows.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Another builds rainbow-colored bowls overflowing with blackened chicken, rice, leafy greens, fresh vegetables and other thoughtfully placed garnishes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
Residents affected by wildfires say they were left "angry and upset" after a mural of Prime Minister Andy Burnham was painted on a blackened mountainside above their homes.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The fat stones were blackened from centuries of sun and flame.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
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.
