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.
A grassfire can reduce a thriving habitat to blackened ground in a matter of hours - but recovery is a much slower story.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Fast-spreading flames blackened the sky over the peninsula as tourists scrambled onto boats that ferried them to safety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Relatives of the victims and those who survived the fire visited the blackened bar on Tuesday, some laying garlands and praying for the dead.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Inside, the furniture, walls and ceiling are completely blackened, and parts of the ceiling is peeling off.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
There, the scrub oak was lying splintered and smoking over the bank, its blackened branches in the water.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
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.
