noun
darkness
DAHK-nuhs
noun
1
The absence of light.
"She felt her way through the darkness looking for the light switch."
"The power cut left the whole street in darkness."
2
A gloomy or hopeless mood; misery or despair.
"After the diagnosis, he sank into a darkness he struggled to explain."
"The film explores the darkness at the heart of the character."
3
Wickedness, secrecy, or a lack of moral or spiritual understanding.
"The novel is often read as a battle between light and darkness."
How to Use Darkness
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe state of there being no light — or, figuratively, a mood of gloom or a hidden, sinister quality.
Common pairings
plunged into darkness
the darkness of night
heart of darkness
Word Forms
darknesses plural
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She felt her way through the _____ looking for the light switch.
Etymology
From Old English deorcnes, built from dark plus the noun-forming suffix -ness.