darkly
Americanadverb
-
so as to appear dark.
-
vaguely; mysteriously.
-
in a vaguely threatening or menacing manner.
He hinted darkly that we had not heard the last of the matter.
-
imperfectly; faintly.
Etymology
Origin of darkly
before 1000; Middle English derkly, Old English deorclīce (in figurative sense only). See dark, -ly
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.
Like Euripides, Ms. Hall finds Medea “uncompromising, harsh, skeptical, pungent, and yet often darkly humorous.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Satirical swipes at US culture, darkly comic interactions between characters and a huge range of optional side activities were all present once again.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Aside from some darkly comic moments, it’s a grim show, driven by righteous fury and at times not an easy watch.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
Matthew Rhys landed two Emmy nominations in different categories for darkly comedic and darkly chilling turns this TV season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
“I’d give a good piece for such a thing these days,” Shep said darkly.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
