Dark Ages

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noun

the period in European history from about a.d. 476 to about 1000.

the whole of the Middle Ages, from about a.d. 476 to the Renaissance.

(often lowercase) a period or stage marked by repressiveness, a lack of enlightenment or advanced knowledge, etc.

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Origin of Dark Ages

First recorded in 1720–30

Words nearby Dark Ages

Darius II, Darius III, Darjeeling, dark, dark adaptation, Dark Ages, dark chocolate, dark cloud, dark comedy, Dark Continent, dark current

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Dark Ages in a sentence

He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.
The Black Man Who Replaced Jefferson Davis in the Senate|Philip Dray|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Seventy-two adults between the ages of 18 and 50 are participating in the trial, led by the pediatrics department at Oxford.
The Race for the Ebola Vaccine|Abby Haglage|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I thought about the mother, her fear of the dark, of the harm she feared might come to her daughters.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Then she managed to struggle a mile through dark, rainy woods.
The 7-Year-Old Plane Crash Survivor’s Brutal Journey Through the Woods|James Higdon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

These are dark times for network TV, but experiments like Galavant are the silver lining.
‘Galavant’: A Drunken, Horny Musical Fairy Tale|Melissa Leon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Ages back—let musty geologists tell us how long ago—'twas a lake, larger than the Lake of Geneva.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
Ripperda's eye fell upon the mantle,—it was discoloured a dark red in many places, he nodded his head, and the man withdrew.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
He glanced aside, and saw an exceedingly pretty, dark face, which looked vaguely familiar.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Down in his galleries and chambers where it was dark as a pocket Grandfather Mole enjoyed himself thoroughly.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
And it is too true that ages of subjugation have demoralized, to a fearful extent, the Italian People.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley

British Dictionary definitions for Dark Ages

Dark Ages

pl n the Dark Ages European history

the period from about the late 5th century ad to about 1000 ad, once considered an unenlightened period

(occasionally) the whole medieval period

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

Cultural definitions for Dark Ages

Dark Ages

A term sometimes applied to the early Middle Ages, the first few centuries after the Fall of Rome. The term suggests prevailing ignorance and barbarism, but there were forces for culture and enlightenment throughout the period.