blackened
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
To be blackened means to become darkened or charred, often as a result of burning. It can also describe the appearance of blood gathering and spreading beneath the skin in a way that makes it appear darker. Charred vegetables on a grill can be described as blackened from the high heat. Similarly, a piece of toast that is forgotten in the toaster until it's nearly burnt is also blackened. This word can also describe surfaces that have been darkened by smoke or soot, such as the walls of a fireplace. Things can become blackened as a result of cooking, fire, or even age, giving objects a dark, charred appearance.
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.
AFP video footage showed that the fire had burned down the mosque's interior carpeting and blackened the walls.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
Jane Ward is turning the blackened, mouldy pages of a Mr Men book.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Four Marines crouch in the foreground surrounded by the blackened remains of burned trees; in the top two-thirds of the picture the black-and-white smoke of the blast billows upward, beautiful in its destruction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
A hunting lodge stands beside pine forest burned by a wildfire that started July 22 and blackened about 104,000 acres in and around Le Porge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Pinmei said nothing and found herself staring at the old gang, blackened where flames had licked it.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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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.
