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

"In the present, some of the largest microbial ecosystems on our planet are found in the dark ocean," said Bailey, who was not involved with the research.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Jittery Angelenos sat in the dark, rattled by sounds of sirens and antiaircraft fire.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Francisco Gonzalez, a 79-year-old retiree, also said he had a sleepless night in the dark, "sitting in an armchair at home, waiting for the power to come back on."

From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026

Thousands of light-sticks shifted colour in the dark, moving in rhythm and revealing the size of the crowd, which had filled the square.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Long before the roll-call whistle, the entire barracks was up and milling about in the dark between the cots.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom