black 1 of 3

adjective

ˈblak How to pronounce black (audio)
Definition of blacknext
1
as in ebony
having the color of soot or coal we adopted a little black kitten

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2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the Friday of the stock market crash was indeed a black day for the country

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3
as in swarthy
not having a light complexion a black Irishman, Tyrone Power had the classic looks of a Hollywood leading man

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4
as in darkened
being without light or without much light on a black night such as this, the imagination runs wild

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5
as in blackened
not clean after mopping the floor, the water in the bucket was black

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black

2 of 3

noun

as in blackness
a time or place of little or no light we had to find our way on back roads in the black of night

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black

3 of 3

verb

chiefly British
as in to boycott

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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 black
Adjective
The 53-year-old supermodel turned up the temperature in a new Instagram photo featuring her lounging poolside, wearing nothing but a small pair of black bikini bottoms. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Watching her film in the water was one of the scariest moments as a mom, because the tank was pitch black. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
Lots of red and black everywhere, with a touch of the ridiculous. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 And members of these new churches were mostly not the black-dressed, hypocritical, sour-faced, monocultural figures favored by popular narrative, but often included colorful figures who were sometimes surprisingly modern in their desires. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for black
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black
  1. ebony
  2. dark
  3. darkened
  4. blackened
  5. blackness
  6. boycott
  7. raven
  8. gray
Adjective
  • The color palette included ebony, black and oak tones.
    — Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 21 June 2026
  • The venerable patriarch is leaning heavily on an ebony cane, and is followed closely by his personal assistant, a bald gnome of a man, armed with a notebook and pencil.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Definition of ebony
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
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
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of blackened
Noun
  • Nori of a perfect blackness, death-like, without the green glints of more common seaweed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The surf was raging, completely enveloping the craft with only the swaying masts visible in the blackness of the night.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of blackness
Verb
  • The Instagram account also encouraged students to boycott the school’s homecoming football game on Thursday.
    — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But when the broadcasters threatened to boycott the show, the TV Academy stuck with the four-network status quo.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of boycott
Adjective
  • Earlier this season, Jackie and Shadow laid four eggs, but two were destroyed during a raven attack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Earlier this season, the pair laid four eggs, but two were destroyed during a raven attack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of raven
Adjective
  • At Cucinelli, a designer walked us through the intricate construction of a fine-wale double-breasted gray suit whose ribs appeared in two subtly different shades.
    — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Now pink, brown, green and gray are turning up in sleep apps, audiology offices and bedtime routines, along with a few less familiar hues further out on the spectrum.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of gray

Phrases Containing black

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blabs
black
black-and-white
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Cite this Entry

“Black.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black

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