darkness
Americannoun
-
the state or quality of being dark.
The room was in total darkness.
-
absence or deficiency of light.
the darkness of night.
-
wickedness or evil.
Satan, the prince of darkness.
-
obscurity; concealment.
The darkness of the metaphor destroyed its effectiveness.
-
lack of knowledge or enlightenment.
heathen darkness.
-
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
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.
But the questions the film confronts the viewer with, and the depths of American darkness it plummets to, are brash and critical.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
The Crab Pulsar stands apart with sharply defined stripes separated by complete darkness.
From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026
In the far north of the UK, particularly northern Scotland, there will be close to 19 hours of daylight, with twilight lingering well into the night and barely any true darkness.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
He’s speaking from a podium, looking down and appearing cast in darkness due to Chávez blue vest melding into his black hair and brown skin.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
I carefully took my hand off his mouth as a second later a different Elliot and Regan emerged from the darkness, creeping down the hallway in their pajamas.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
