blackening 1 of 2

noun

ˈblak-niŋ How to pronounce blackening (audio)
Definition of blackeningnext
as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation blackening of the senator's good name disgusted voters

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blackening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of blacken
1
as in staining
to make dirty blackened the towels with their dirty hands

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2
as in smearing
to make untrue and harmful statements about the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation

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3
as in darkening
to make dark, dim, or indistinct thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles

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4
as in fading
to grow dark the auditorium blackened suddenly, and a spotlighted performer appeared alone on stage

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blackening
Noun
Whole villages were nearly wiped out, and in total, some 60 percent of Europe's population would succumb to the disease, which was characterized by an extreme swelling of the lymph nodes and the gradual blackening of the fingertips and toes as the tissues died. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2016 Temple leaves the tail shell on the end of the shrimp to protect the tender tip in the blackening process. — Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackening
  1. libel
  2. darkening
  3. defamation
  4. obscuring
  5. criticism
Noun
  • Freedman has suggested that Gottlieb was responsible, at least in part, for the bombshell New York Times article regarding Lively’s accusations against Baldoni, who is currently suing the publication for libel and false light invasion of privacy.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Baldoni is suing Lively, Reynolds, and their PR rep for defamation and extortion, as well as the NYT for libel.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2025
Definition of libel
Verb
  • The flowers and the ferns put themselves to bed, shedding petals, drying and darkening, folding up.
    — Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 19 Dec. 2024
  • The weather is darkening, the leaves are falling and the zombies are nearing your doorstep.
    — Annalise Frank, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of darkening
Noun
  • Baldoni has denied the allegations against him and filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of civil extortion and defamation.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Weeks later, Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane, accusing the trio of civil extortion and defamation.
    — Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2025
Definition of defamation
Verb
  • Smothered in clouds, this House of the Dragon valley provides perfect, obscuring aerial cover for anyone who might happen to be wandering around in the wilderness and stumbles into a dragon that went rogue decades ago.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2024
  • However, the relentless pursuit of RTO may be a costly distraction, obscuring deeper issues such as workforce reductions and the evolving nature of work, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence, that are hindering corporate performance.
    — Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of obscuring
Noun
  • The event gave the royals the opportunity to put on a united front in the face of Harry and Meghan's criticisms made during the show.
    — Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Ultimately, interviews with more than two dozen people showed that Trump's aides at the White House and USAGM wanted the network to reflect Trump's successes and to tamp down on criticisms of him - a consistent thread of recent developments.
    — David Folkenflik, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of criticism

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Cite this Entry

“Blackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackening. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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