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darkness
/ˈdɑːrknɪs/
absence of light
The darkness of the night sky was broken only by the stars.
The night sky was very dark, with only stars visible.
general
The state of being dark or having little to no light
She turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness.
She turned off the lights, making the room completely dark.
Can refer to literal darkness or metaphorical darkness (e.g., ignorance, evil).
figurative
A state of ignorance, confusion, or lack of understanding
The darkness of his past haunted him for years.
His unknown or troubled past troubled him for years.
Often used metaphorically to describe emotional or psychological states.
Collocations
plunge into darknessto suddenly become darklift the darknessto remove ignorance or confusion
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Literal vs. Figurative Use
Darkness can describe both the absence of light and metaphorical states like ignorance or evil.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While darkness is a powerful word, overusing it metaphorically can make writing or speech feel heavy or negative.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'darknesse', from Old English 'deorcnes' (darkness), from 'deorc' (dark).
Usage Notes
Can be used literally to describe the absence of light or metaphorically to describe ignorance, evil, or emotional states.
Word Breakdown
dark
lacking light
root-ness
state or quality of
suffixEnglish Dictionary