dusk 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdəsk How to pronounce dusk (audio)
Definition of dusknext
as in darkened
being without light or without much light under a dusk sky, the campers wearily bedded down for the night

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dusk

2 of 3

noun

1
as in sunset
the time from when the sun begins to set to the onset of total darkness we stopped playing at dusk, since it was getting too dark to see the ball

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2
as in night
a time or place of little or no light legends of fearsome beasts living in the dusk of the great forest

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3
as in shade
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays the forbidding dusk of Germany's famed Black Forest

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dusk

3 of 3

verb

as in to darken
to grow dark the grief-stricken woman continued to sit in the dusking room until she was completely enveloped in darkness

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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 dusk
Adjective
Mylar space blankets draped across their shoulders glistened a surreal golden hue as the vessel’s blinding strobe lights illuminated the post-dusk spectacle. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2021 Forgive me for skipping dinner, but my pre-dusk meals were simply not going to be outshone. — Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 22 Aug. 2021
Noun
Police noted that mountain lions are not uncommon near the Stanislaus River and other rural pockets around Oakdale but urged residents to stay alert – especially overnight and around dawn and dusk. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 Mellow is the Clark+Kensington palette inspired by late afternoon, just before dusk arrives. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026 The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers. — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dusk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dusk
  1. darkened
  2. sunset
  3. night
  4. shade
  5. darken
  6. dark
  7. twilight
  8. shadows
Adjective
  • Around them stand darkened houses, and uncollected trash piles up on the street.
    — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
Definition of darkened
Noun
  • The 400-acre property gets great sunsets and somehow seems miles away from Dallas despite being just outside the city limits.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The low-angle light plays hobs with conventional solar panels lying flat on a lander, but Blue Origin's Power Tower is designed to exploit the near-eternal sunset/sunrise.
    — David Szondy October 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sunset
Noun
  • With that, Dorinda gathers everyone (except for Chanel Ayan, who is too beautiful for the cold) out into the freezing night for the fireworks that end this celebration.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That’s very much present in both our opening and closing night selections, but also across the whole program.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of night
Noun
  • Commenters on both Babsky and Johnson's makeup artist Georgie Eisdel’s Instagram posts begged the artists to share shade details.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026
  • At Dior, artist Ama Quashie mismatched red and burgundy on hands and feet using Dior Vernis in a deep oxblood 047 Nuit shade on nails and cherry 853 Rouge Trafalgar on toes.
    — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shade
Verb
  • In its latest incarnation, designed by the firm S9, the curtain wall has darkened and the electronic billboards brightened, so that the tower resembles a TV mount, more apparatus than architecture.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Verity is immobile and catatonic, and Lowen learns that the family’s life is also darkened by a child’s accidental death.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of darken
Adjective
  • There’s nothing about the white bedding, dark-wood furniture, and tan carpeting that will knock your socks off—but nothing that will make your toes curl, either.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Guadagnino and screenwriter Simon Rich mold the material from dark humor through technocratic giddiness to sobering horror.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • Arizona led 2-1 in the third before the Padres went in front on Ty France's RBI groundout and Gavin Sheets' RBI double that center fielder Tim Tawa lost in the lights and twilight sky.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • And at twilight, New Orleans bandleader and composer Jon Batiste delivered a contagious tour-de-force of joy and struggle, careening from ragtime classics to contemporary numbers.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of twilight
Noun
  • Films can end up looking too bright or too clean, revealing details in the shadows that Kubrick never intended audiences to see.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The man’s collarbones no longer cast deep shadows at the base of his neck, Shawn noticed.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of shadows

Browse Nearby Words

during
dusk
dusked
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Cite this Entry

“Dusk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dusk. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dusk

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dusk

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