verb
blacken
BLA-kuhn
Blacken (verb) means to make something black or turn black. Example: “Smoke blackened the ceiling above the fireplace.”
verb
1
To make something black or turn black.
"Smoke blackened the ceiling above the fireplace."
"Her fingers were blackened with charcoal."
2
To damage someone's reputation; to defame.
"The rumors were meant to blacken his name."
3
To cook fish or meat by coating it in spices and searing it quickly in a hot pan.
"The chef blackened the catfish with a Cajun spice blend."
How to use blacken
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo turn something black, to damage a reputation, or to sear food in hot spices.
Common pairings
blacken someone's name
blackened salmon
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- blackens
- Past tense
- blackened
Fill the gap
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Smoke _____ the ceiling above the fireplace.
Etymology
From Middle English blaknen, formed from black plus the verb-forming suffix -en.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for blacken
See all rhymes for blacken →Frequently asked questions
What does “blacken” mean?
The word “blacken” means to make something black or turn black. In plain terms, to turn something black, to damage a reputation, or to sear food in hot spices.
How do you pronounce “blacken”?
“Blacken” is pronounced BLA-kuhn (/ˈblækən/ in IPA).
How do you use “blacken” in a sentence?
Here is “blacken” used in a sentence: “Smoke blackened the ceiling above the fireplace.”
What is another word for “blacken”?
Words with a similar meaning to “blacken” include black, black up, blackwash, blatch, bletch and denigrate.
What part of speech is “blacken”?
“Blacken” is a verb.
Where does the word “blacken” come from?
The word “blacken” comes from Middle English. From Middle English blaknen, formed from black plus the verb-forming suffix -en.
How many meanings does “blacken” have?
“Blacken” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make something black or turn black.
