blackened
adjective
black·ened ˈbla-kənd 
: coated with a mixture of spices (such as garlic powder and cayenne pepper) and fried over extremely high heat
Synonyms
- bedraggled
- befouled
- begrimed
- bemired
- besmirched
- black
- cruddy
- dingy
- dirty
- draggled
- dusty
- filthy
- foul
- grimy
- grotty [chiefly British]
- grubby
- grungy
- mucky
- muddy
- nasty
- smudged
- smutty
- soiled
- sordid
- stained
- sullied
- unclean
- uncleanly
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the church's blackened ceiling is the result of centuries of candle smoke
Recent Examples on the Web His blackened execution pyre stands in a barren field, a leitmotif driven like a stake through the heart of the film. 
Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021 Firefighters remained in one untouched rectangular slice of land in Meyers Wednesday morning, hosing down blackened earth in backyards, a sign of just how close the flames got to homes. Sarah Ravani, Julie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Sep. 2021 Near the towns of Phillips, Twin Bridges and Strawberry, cracks of blue sky and sunshine illuminated scorched terrain and skeletal bare tree branches, but also blue jays and chipmunks scampering over blackened tree roots and fallen rocks. Lauren Hepler, Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Sep. 2021 Using gloved hands, scrape off all of the blackened exteriors and slice into small pieces. Joanne Rosa, ABC News, 21 June 2021 Dinner was delicious: dish after dish of blackened shrimp, fried shrimp, catfish, garlic corn. New York Times, 16 June 2021 The contrast is quite pleasurable: Sweet, milky mozzarella meets slightly bitter radicchio, still a bit warm, blackened and smoky from high heat. David Tanis, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2021 Texas Black Gold Garlic puts its signature garlic through a two-month fermenting process, turning traditional white cloves into sweet blackened treats. Chuck Blount, ExpressNews.com, 3 Aug. 2020 Al-Kolak placed a blackened kettle atop the makeshift stove and dropped a few Lipton teabags inside it. Patrick Strickland, The New York Review of Books, 4 Mar. 2020 See More
Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021 Firefighters remained in one untouched rectangular slice of land in Meyers Wednesday morning, hosing down blackened earth in backyards, a sign of just how close the flames got to homes. Sarah Ravani, Julie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Sep. 2021 Near the towns of Phillips, Twin Bridges and Strawberry, cracks of blue sky and sunshine illuminated scorched terrain and skeletal bare tree branches, but also blue jays and chipmunks scampering over blackened tree roots and fallen rocks. Lauren Hepler, Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Sep. 2021 Using gloved hands, scrape off all of the blackened exteriors and slice into small pieces. Joanne Rosa, ABC News, 21 June 2021 Dinner was delicious: dish after dish of blackened shrimp, fried shrimp, catfish, garlic corn. New York Times, 16 June 2021 The contrast is quite pleasurable: Sweet, milky mozzarella meets slightly bitter radicchio, still a bit warm, blackened and smoky from high heat. David Tanis, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2021 Texas Black Gold Garlic puts its signature garlic through a two-month fermenting process, turning traditional white cloves into sweet blackened treats. Chuck Blount, ExpressNews.com, 3 Aug. 2020 Al-Kolak placed a blackened kettle atop the makeshift stove and dropped a few Lipton teabags inside it. Patrick Strickland, The New York Review of Books, 4 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
First Known Use
1979, in the meaning defined above
blackened 1 of 2
adjective
as in stained
not clean the church's blackened ceiling is the result of centuries of candle smoke Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stained
- filthy
- dusty
- black
- muddy
- dirty
- smudged
- sullied
- nasty
- begrimed
- grimy
- besmirched
- soiled
- dingy
- draggled
- befouled
- grungy
- bedraggled
- greasy
- grubby
- polluted
- messy
- mucky
- unclean
- messed
- sordid
- smutty
- bemired
- littered
- tainted
- grotty
- cruddy
- contaminated
- uncleanly
- foul
- sloppy
- defiled
- confused
- uncleaned
- chaotic
- sooty
- unwashed
- impure
- rumpled
- insanitary
- disarrayed
- unkempt
- cluttered
- gunky
- scruffy
- disordered
- muddled
- jumbled
- disheveled
- disarranged
- unsterilized
- mussy
- mussed
- crocked
- unsanitary
- untidy
- scuzzy
- slovenly
- shabby
- germy
- squalid
- fuliginous
- unsterile
- skanky
- collied
- raunchy
- dishevelled
- sleazy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stainless
- clean
- unstained
- unsullied
- spotless
- immaculate
- cleaned
- clear
- pure
- unsoiled
- cleanly
- ultraclean
- limpid
- bleached
- cleansed
- whitened
- combed
- ordered
- tidy
- neat
- shiny
- groomed
- untouched
- sparkling
- orderly
- purified
- bright
- spic-and-span
- spick-and-span
- perfect
- unblemished
- flawless
- unspotted
- untainted
- unpolluted
- virgin
- wholesome
- undefiled
- taintless
blackened
2 of 2verb
1
as in dirtied
to make dirty blackened the towels with their dirty hands Synonyms & Similar Words
- stained
- dirtied
- smudged
- grimed
- sullied
- begrimed
- besmirched
- soiled
- smirched
- befouled
- daubed
- muddied
- messed
- discolored
- tainted
- polluted
- bemired
- contaminated
- distained
- mired
- mucked
- fouled
- gaumed
- defiled
- draggled
- disarrayed
- disordered
- disheveled
- disarranged
- crocked
- jumbled
- muddled
- collied
- confused
- dishevelled
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cleaned
- cleansed
- purified
- purged
- wiped
- brushed
- decontaminated
- swept
- scrubbed
- washed
- disinfected
- rinsed
- dusted
- sanitized
- brightened
- mopped
- scoured
- renewed
- laundered
- deodorized
- freshened
- straightened (up)
- spruced (up)
- dry-cleaned
- tidied (up)
2
as in smeared
to make untrue and harmful statements about the politician maliciously blackened his opponent's reputation Synonyms & Similar Words
- smeared
- libeled
- disgraced
- libelled
- maligned
- humiliated
- slandered
- vilified
- discredited
- defamed
- traduced
- calumniated
- shamed
- aspersed
- dishonored
- degraded
- denigrated
- disparaged
- detracted
- belittled
- debased
- humbled
- disdained
- scorned
- abased
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- exalted
- honored
- glorified
- praised
- applauded
- admired
- acclaimed
- respected
- commended
- regarded
- esteemed
- revered
- worshiped
- worshipped
- adored
- venerated
3
as in darkened
to make dark, dim, or indistinct thick smoke from the forest fires blackened the sky for many miles Synonyms & Similar Words
- darkened
- obscured
- blurred
- clouded
- shrouded
- shadowed
- dimmed
- overshadowed
- fogged
- beclouded
- hazed
- bleared
- misted
- bedimmed
- overcast
- overclouded
- shaded
- concealed
- covered
- obliterated
- dislimned
- eclipsed
- hid
- befogged
- masked
- fuzzed (up)
- cloaked
- camouflaged
- blotted out
- veiled
- adumbrated
- curtained
- screened
- disguised
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- illuminated
- brightened
- exposed
- lighted (up)
- lit (up)
- lightened
- revealed
- uncovered
- illumined
- unveiled
4
as in faded
to grow dark the auditorium blackened suddenly, and a spotlighted performer appeared alone on stage Synonyms & Similar Words
- darkened
- faded
- blacked out
- closed in
- dusked
- dimmed
- waned
- gloomed
- loured
- lowered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lighted
- lit
- brightened
- lightened
- glowed
- shone
- dawned
- radiated
- beamed
- shined