What does "dark" mean?

1. (without light) having little or no light, making it difficult to see. 2. (deep colour) a colour that is closer to black than white; not pale. 3. (sad or evil) unhappy, scary, or related to bad things. 4. (secret) hidden or kept secret from other people. 5. (absence of light) a place or time where there is no light.

dark — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01without light

A1 · Beginner

adj. having little or no light, making it difficult to see.

adj. characterised by a relative or absolute deficiency of visible light.

“The street was very dark because the power was out.”

“The hikers found themselves on a dark trail after the sun dipped below the ridge faster than they had anticipated.”

Synonyms

dimunlitshadowy

Antonyms

bright light luminous

02deep colour

A1 · Beginner

adj. a colour that is closer to black than white; not pale.

adj. possessing a low value in terms of colour theory; highly saturated or deep in hue.

“She wore a dark blue suit to the job interview.”

“The interior designer recommended dark green velvet for the curtains to create a sense of richness in the library.”

Synonyms

deep sombre

Antonyms

light pale

03sad or evil

B1 · Intermediate

adj. unhappy, scary, or related to bad things.

adj. suggestive of gloom, hopelessness, or moral wickedness.

“The movie was a dark comedy about a very serious subject.”

“The novel explores the dark side of human nature through its depiction of greed and betrayal in a small town.”

Synonyms

bleak sinister morbid

Antonyms

cheerful hopeful

04secret

C1 · Advanced Literary

adj. hidden or kept secret from other people.

adj. characterised by secrecy or a lack of public knowledge.

“They kept their plans dark until the very last minute.”

“The intelligence agency remained dark regarding the specifics of the operation, citing national security concerns.”

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'to keep someone dark' or 'to stay dark'.

Synonyms

hidden secret mysterious

Antonyms

public known

05absence of light

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun

n. a place or time where there is no light.

n. the state of being without light, or the period of nightfall.

“The children are afraid of the dark.”

“After the campfire died down, they sat in the dark listening to the sounds of the forest.”

Synonyms

darkness obscurity night

Antonyms

light daylight

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “dark” in context.

01. dark matter 02. dark brown 03. dark sky

“It's 2:00 in Chile's Atacama Desert, and I wake up in the dark.”

BBC 29 May 2026

“Estimates of Middle Eastern crude flows have varied wildly since tankers began "dark crossings" of the Strait of Hormuz, meaning they sail without transponder signals to avoid Iranian attacks.”

Reuters 9 Sept 2026

From Middle English derk, from Old English deorc, from Proto-West Germanic derk (“dark”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European dʰerg- (“dim, dull”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“dull, dirty”).

From Middle English derk, derke, dirke, dyrke, from the adjective (see above), or possibly from an unrecorded Old English dierce, diercu (“dark, darkness”).