blacken

American

[blak-uhn] / ˈblæk ən /

verb (used with object)

to make black; darken.
to speak evil of; defame.

to blacken a person's reputation.

Synonyms:

calumniate, traduce, libel, slander, smear, denigrate

verb (used without object)

to grow or become black.

blacken British

/ 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

Other Word Forms

blackener noun

Etymology

Origin of blacken

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; black, -en ¹

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 new scientific review suggests that Polygonum multiflorum, a root used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than a thousand years to "blacken hair and nourish essence," could be a promising alternative for managing AGA.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

These incidents may temporarily blacken the eyes of the NBA and Major League Baseball but sports gambling is here to stay.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

You’re not looking to fully blacken every kernel, just enough scorch to bring out that toasty, nutty edge.

From Salon • Aug. 5, 2025

Tossed with some sliced cabbage that’s spread on the pan next to the tofu, the sauce helps the thinner cabbage pieces singe and blacken appealingly.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 14, 2024

Instead he'touched the letter to the candle flame and watched the parchment blacken, curl, and flare up.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023