dusk
1 of 3adjective
ˈdəsk 
: dusky
beginning to grow dusk outside
dusk
2 of 3verb
dusked; dusking; dusks
intransitive verb
: to become dark
the dusking room
transitive verb
: to make dark or gloomy
a gray light dusked the room
William Sansom
William Sansom… his … formality dusked by the saturnine mood of ill health. Herman Melville
Herman Melvilledusk
3 of 3noun
1
: the darker part of twilight especially at night
The park closes at dusk.
2
: darkness or semidarkness caused by the shutting out of light
Synonyms
Adjective
- black
- caliginous
- dark
- darkened
- darkish
- darkling
- darksome
- dim
- dimmed
- dusky
- gloomy
- lightless
- murky
- obscure
- obscured
- pitch-black
- pitch-dark
- pitchy
- rayless
- somber
- sombre
- stygian
- tenebrific
- tenebrous
- unlit
Verb
- black out
- blacken
- close in
- darken
Noun
- crepuscule
- crepuscle
- eve
- evenfall
- evening
- eventide
- gloaming
- night
- nightfall
- sundown
- sunset
- twilight
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective under a dusk sky, the campers wearily bedded down for the night Verb the grief-stricken woman continued to sit in the dusking room until she was completely enveloped in darkness Noun The park closes at dusk. we stopped playing at dusk, since it was getting too dark to see the ball
Recent Examples on the Web Outside Online, 1 Aug. 2022 Mylar space blankets draped across their shoulders glistened a surreal golden hue as the vessel’s blinding strobe lights illuminated the post-dusk spectacle. Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2021 Forgive me for skipping dinner, but my pre-dusk meals were simply not going to be outshone. Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 22 Aug. 2021 The park is open 8 a.m. to dusk year-round, while the information and gift center is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. now through Thanksgiving and vary with the season. oregonlive, 14 Mar. 2020 Waiting to hear After dusk Wednesday, buses began to arrive at the plant to return some of the immigrants after processing. Author: Jenny Jarvie, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Aug. 2019 On July 4, Elitch Gardens will offer a dusk fireworks display visible from the surrounding areas, and The Denver Outlaws game at Mile High Stadium (against the Boston Cannons) on July 4 will also be followed by fireworks. John Wenzel, The Know, 24 June 2019 Katie Bain, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2022 Peak mosquito biting hours are early morning and dusk so use repellent and wear protective clothing from dusk to dawn or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times. Sarah Ladd, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2022 The Revenge of Kitty Galore, dusk, Phillips Park, 11667 Rich Road, Loveland. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2022 The full Moon always rises in the east at dusk (opposite a sunset, or thereabouts) and sets in the west the following morning (opposite a sunrise). Jamie Carter, Forbes, 14 July 2022 Their shimmery transparent organza mimics the L.A. sky: at noon, dusk and midnight. Mariam Rahmani, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2022 That being said, the best photos are taken as close as possible to dusk or dawn. Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2022 As the dusk settled over the campground, Mr. Morgan got up from his chair and walked over to a luxury black-and-gold motor coach parked at the campsite. New York Times, 21 July 2022 Sometime around dusk on Tuesday, the celebrity mountain lion known as P-22 made his way along Silver Lake Boulevard without much fanfare. Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2022 See More
Adjective
When the summer heat creeps to unbearable temperatures, pre-dawn and post-dusk become the most appealing times to run. Outside Online, 1 Aug. 2022 Mylar space blankets draped across their shoulders glistened a surreal golden hue as the vessel’s blinding strobe lights illuminated the post-dusk spectacle. Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2021 Forgive me for skipping dinner, but my pre-dusk meals were simply not going to be outshone. Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 22 Aug. 2021 The park is open 8 a.m. to dusk year-round, while the information and gift center is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. now through Thanksgiving and vary with the season. oregonlive, 14 Mar. 2020 Waiting to hear After dusk Wednesday, buses began to arrive at the plant to return some of the immigrants after processing. Author: Jenny Jarvie, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Aug. 2019 On July 4, Elitch Gardens will offer a dusk fireworks display visible from the surrounding areas, and The Denver Outlaws game at Mile High Stadium (against the Boston Cannons) on July 4 will also be followed by fireworks. John Wenzel, The Know, 24 June 2019 Noun
In Logic1000’s hands, Giobbi’s desert dusk turns into midnight magic. Katie Bain, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2022 Peak mosquito biting hours are early morning and dusk so use repellent and wear protective clothing from dusk to dawn or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times. Sarah Ladd, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2022 The Revenge of Kitty Galore, dusk, Phillips Park, 11667 Rich Road, Loveland. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2022 The full Moon always rises in the east at dusk (opposite a sunset, or thereabouts) and sets in the west the following morning (opposite a sunrise). Jamie Carter, Forbes, 14 July 2022 Their shimmery transparent organza mimics the L.A. sky: at noon, dusk and midnight. Mariam Rahmani, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2022 That being said, the best photos are taken as close as possible to dusk or dawn. Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2022 As the dusk settled over the campground, Mr. Morgan got up from his chair and walked over to a luxury black-and-gold motor coach parked at the campsite. New York Times, 21 July 2022 Sometime around dusk on Tuesday, the celebrity mountain lion known as P-22 made his way along Silver Lake Boulevard without much fanfare. Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Verb, and Noun
Middle English dosk, alteration of Old English dox; akin to Latin fuscus dark brown, Old English dunn dun, dūst dust
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun
1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing dusk
Kids Definition
dusk
noun
ˈdəsk
: the time when the sky is getting dark at night
dusk 1 of 3
adjective
as in darkened
being without light or without much light under a dusk sky, the campers wearily bedded down for the night Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- darkened
- dark
- murky
- dusky
- black
- dimmed
- stygian
- darkling
- unlit
- dim
- lightless
- somber
- obscured
- gloomy
- rayless
- darkish
- moonless
- tenebrous
- twilit
- crepuscular
- pitch-dark
- darksome
- obscure
- pitch-black
- sombre
- caliginous
- pitchy
- misty
- gray
- tenebrific
- starless
- sunless
- cloudy
- foggy
- shadowy
- clouded
- pale
- shadowlike
- dulled
- shady
- grey
- smoggy
- lackluster
- dull
- leaden
- beclouded
- fuliginous
- soupy
- befogged
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- light
- lighted
- illuminated
- luminous
- shining
- bright
- lit
- brilliant
- incandescent
- lucid
- sparkling
- lucent
- radiant
- illumined
- lambent
- lightsome
- brightened
- resplendent
- alight
- glowing
- glaring
- effulgent
- beaming
- beamy
- shiny
- moonlit
- glossy
- aglitter
- lustrous
- sunlit
- agleam
- spotlit
- relucent
- starlit
- ultrabright
- ablaze
- moony
- floodlit
- highlighted
- spotlighted
- floodlighted
dusk
2 of 3noun
1
as in sunset
the time from when the sun begins to set to the onset of total darkness we stopped playing at dusk, since it was getting too dark to see the ball Synonyms & Similar Words
- sunset
- night
- twilight
- evening
- nightfall
- sundown
- gloaming
- eventide
- dark
- eve
- crepuscule
- darkness
- nighttime
- crepuscle
- evenfall
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dawn
- sunrise
- daybreak
- daylight
- sunup
- morning
- dawning
- morn
- daytime
- aurora
- day
- light
- cockcrow
- forenoon
2
as in night
a time or place of little or no light legends of fearsome beasts living in the dusk of the great forest Synonyms & Similar Words
- night
- dark
- shadows
- twilight
- darkness
- black
- blackness
- midnight
- gloom
- candlelight
- gloaming
- semidarkness
- murk
- shade
- umbra
- blackout
- brownout
- dimness
- mistiness
- dullness
- somberness
- grayness
- haziness
- cloudiness
- dimout
- shadiness
- murkiness
- faintness
- gloominess
- paleness
- umbrage
- half-light
- fogginess
- dulness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- daylight
- glow
- day
- light
- moonlight
- brightness
- glare
- sunlight
- starlight
- blaze
- brilliance
- lightness
- sunshine
- radiance
- luminescence
- luminosity
- shine
- luminance
- radiancy
- effulgence
- incandescence
- luminousness
3
as in shade
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays the forbidding dusk of Germany's famed Black Forest Synonyms & Similar Words
- shade
- shadow
- gloom
- blackness
- dimness
- semidarkness
- umbra
- penumbra
- duskiness
- gloominess
- murkiness
- shadiness
- somberness
- obscurity
- cloudiness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- light
- illumination
- brightness
- radiance
- incandescence
- luminosity
- brilliance
- luminance
- lucidity
- lightness
- effulgence
- luminousness
- radiancy
- lucidness
dusk
3 of 3verb
as in to darken
to grow dark the grief-stricken woman continued to sit in the dusking room until she was completely enveloped in darkness Synonyms & Similar Words
- darken
- fade
- dim
- black out
- gloom
- blacken
- close in
- wane
- lour
- lower
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- light
- lighten
- dawn
- glow
- brighten
- beam
- shine
- radiate