Blacken

/ˈblæk.ən/

Meaning & Definition

verb

To make or become black; to darken.

The smoke from the fire began to blacken the walls.

To tarnish or damage the reputation of; to vilify.

The scandal served to blacken his previously good name.

To burn or scorch the surface of something.

They decided to blacken the steak on the grill for added flavor.

Middle English blacken, from black + -en

blacken one's name:

to damage someone's reputation

blacken the sky:

to darken the atmosphere with clouds or smoke

blacken the heart:

to turn towards evil or malevolence

to ruin or spoil

That mistake really blackened my chances of getting the job.

to criticize harshly

The critics blackened the movie in their reviews.