dark
dahk
Dark (adj) means having little or no light. Example: “We walked home through the dark streets with only a small torch.”
adj
1
Having little or no light.
"We walked home through the dark streets with only a small torch."
"The room was completely dark with the curtains drawn."
"It gets dark early in winter."
2
Deep or intense in shade rather than light and bright.
"He wore a dark blue suit to the interview."
"The tea was so dark that it looked almost black."
"She painted the walls a dark shade of green."
3
Secretive, sinister, or morally troubling.
"The author is known for her dark and disturbing stories about family secrets."
"He has a dark secret he's never told anyone."
"The film takes a dark turn in the second act."
noun
1
The absence of light; nightfall.
"Many small children are afraid of the dark."
"We reached the campsite just after dark, tired and hungry."
"The kids were told to be home before dark."
How to use dark
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLacking light, deep in color, or troubling/sinister in tone or meaning.
Common mistake
"In the dark" as an idiom means "uninformed," not literally lacking light: "I was kept in the dark about the merger."
Common pairings
dark room
dark humor
dark secret
in the dark
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Word forms
- Plural
- darks
- Third person singular
- darks
- Past tense
- darked
- Comparative
- darker
- Superlative
- darkest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We walked home through the _____ streets with only a small torch.
Etymology
From Old English deorc, a very old Germanic word probably tied to a root meaning "dim" or "dull."
Synonyms
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shadowy
unlit
wickedness
shadow
nighttime
darkness
night
blear
caliginous
cimmerian
crepuscular
darkling
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for dark
See all rhymes for dark →Frequently asked questions
What does “dark” mean?
The word “dark” means having little or no light. In plain terms, lacking light, deep in color, or troubling/sinister in tone or meaning.
How do you pronounce “dark”?
“Dark” is pronounced dahk (/dɑɹk/ in IPA).
How do you use “dark” in a sentence?
Here is “dark” used in a sentence: “The room was completely dark with the curtains drawn.”
What is another word for “dark”?
Words with a similar meaning to “dark” include blear, caliginous, cimmerian, crepuscular, darkling and darksome.
What is the opposite of “dark”?
The opposite of “dark” — its antonyms — are bright, light, glowing, lit and luminous.
What part of speech is “dark”?
Depending on how it is used, “dark” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “dark” come from?
The word “dark” comes from Old English. From Old English deorc, a very old Germanic word probably tied to a root meaning "dim" or "dull.".
Is “dark” a common word?
“Dark” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between dark and dim?
Dim means faint or weak light, so you can still see, just not clearly. Dark means little or no light at all, so seeing becomes difficult or impossible. A dimly lit room has some glow, while a dark room has almost none. Dark is the stronger word, closer to a complete absence of light.
What is the difference between dark and black?
Dark describes a lack of light in a place or scene, as in a dark night. Black is a colour, the darkest there is, absorbing light rather than reflecting it. A black object can sit in a brightly lit room, and a dark room can contain objects of any colour.
What is the opposite of dark?
The main opposites are light and bright, both describing plenty of illumination. Other opposites include well-lit and, for colours, pale. A dark room becomes light when you open the curtains, and a dark shade of a colour becomes light or pale when white is added to it.
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