Dark
/dɑːrk/
Definitions
4 meaningsHaving an absence of light; being in shadow or obscurity.
/dɑːrk/
Having little or no light
The forest was dark at night.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're in a cave, or turn off the lights. Dark means you can't see very well because there's not much light around!
👶 For kids: When it's dark, you can't see very well because there's no light!
More Examples
The room was dark because the curtains were drawn.
He wore dark sunglasses to protect his eyes.
How It's Used
"The room was dark after the power outage."
"The dark side of the moon is not always in shadow."
Having a color close to black; not pale or light.
/dɑːrk/
Of a color that is close to black
He had dark hair and eyes.
💡 Simply: Imagine crayons! Dark colors are like deep blue, brown, or black.
👶 For kids: A dark color is like black or brown or a really deep blue.
More Examples
She preferred dark chocolate.
The painting featured dark hues.
How It's Used
"She chose a dark blue dress for the occasion."
"The artist used dark shades to create a sense of depth."
Evil, wicked, or sinister in nature or character.
/dɑːrk/
Evil or sinister
There was a dark secret hidden in the family's past.
💡 Simply: Sometimes we say something is 'dark' to mean it's a bit scary, or maybe a little mean. Like a dark secret is something you don't want to share.
👶 For kids: If something is dark, it might be a little bit scary or mean.
More Examples
The forest held dark, mysterious shadows.
The dark lord was defeated by the hero.
How It's Used
"The villain had a dark secret."
"He had a dark sense of humor."
The absence of light; obscurity.
/dɑːrk/
Absence of light
The darkness fell as soon as the sun went down.
💡 Simply: Darkness is when it's nighttime and you can't see, like when you close your eyes.
👶 For kids: Darkness means it's nighttime or when the lights are off.
More Examples
They were afraid of the darkness.
She stumbled through the darkness.
How It's Used
"The darkness of the night frightened the children."
"He disappeared into the dark."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
dark horse
An unexpected winner or contender.
"The candidate was considered a dark horse, but he won the election."
in the dark
Without knowledge or information.
"We were kept in the dark about the project's progress."
From Old English *deorc*, *dēorc*, from Proto-Germanic *derkaz*. Related to words meaning 'obscure' or 'hidden'.
Used in Old English texts, often referring to the absence of light, both physically and metaphorically.
Memory tip
Think of the absence of the sun's light.
Word Origin
"obscure, hidden"