in the dark

Idioms  

1. In secret, in concealment, as in This agreement was concluded in the dark . [Early 1600s]

2. In a state of ignorance, uninformed, as in I was in the dark about their plans . This metaphor often appears in the locution keep someone in the dark , meaning “deliberately keep someone uninformed,” as in They kept me in the dark about their plans . [Late 1600s] For an antonym, see in the know .

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the dark

For 20 minutes I lay alone, in the dark, mulling over what I’d been told.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

It was one of the most controversial VAR decisions in years, yet the 74,161 inside Old Trafford were kept in the dark.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Sara’s next step might be to ask Scott to step down from his presentation, leaving Scott in the dark as to why.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

But occasionally, snobs don’t have a choice, such as when they’re sitting in the dark of a movie theater, where the viewer assumes the role of the spectator.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

She spotted Chase’s light, which seemed impossibly far away in the dark rough water.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith