darkness
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being dark.
The room was in total darkness.
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absence or deficiency of light.
the darkness of night.
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wickedness or evil.
Satan, the prince of darkness.
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obscurity; concealment.
The darkness of the metaphor destroyed its effectiveness.
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lack of knowledge or enlightenment.
heathen darkness.
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lack of sight; blindness.
Other Word Forms
- predarkness noun
Etymology
Origin of darkness
First recorded before 1050; Middle English derknesse, Old English deorcnysse; equivalent to dark + -ness
Explanation
The complete (or partial) absence of light is darkness. If you've ever lost power in your house during a nighttime storm, you know what it's like to be suddenly engulfed in darkness. There are degrees of darkness, from the complete darkness of the woods on a moonless night to the darkness of a room lit by candlelight. Darkness is open to interpretation, since it's defined as a lack of light. There's also a figurative darkness, which can represent wickedness, sadness, ignorance, or simply mystery: "The details of their adventures would remain in darkness, unless one of them wrote a book someday."
Vocabulary lists containing darkness
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.
Plants grown in light had much stronger adhesion between these layers than those grown in darkness.
From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026
According to Plutarch, writing nearly five centuries later: “The sun was eclipsed and as darkness descended, everyone was struck with terror, thinking it a portent.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
“The Drama” understands that violence thrives in darkness and that the fear of being judged is what keeps those experiencing difficult, extreme emotions from talking about them.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026
Pop Music * Desert festival gets high marks for its eclectic lineup, although the heat, darkness and some skip-happy turntables provide a few sour notes.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
And then, out of nowhere, the darkness is pierced by light.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
