darkling

/ˈdɑː(ɹ)klɪŋ/

//ˈdɑː(ɹ)klɪŋ// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"darkling" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“darkling” is uncommon English (frequency #91,401 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#91,401
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In the dark; in obscurity.

Corpus desk

Index EN-darkling · darkling · English

darkling · rank #91,401 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #91,401
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dbh

Nearest frequency peer: dbh (+2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “darkling”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “darkling” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for darkling
PropertyValue
Headworddarkling
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈdɑː(ɹ)klɪŋ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#91,401
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “darkling” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).darklingfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “dbh” (#91,403), “cytoskeletal” (#91,398), “deads” (#91,404). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “darkling” is #91,401. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

darkling is uncommon English at frequency #91,401 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as anadverb, transcribed /ˈdɑː(ɹ)klɪŋ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "In the dark; in obscurity.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for darkling, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English derkelyng. By surface analysis, dark + -ling. The correct English form is darkling, spelled D-A-R-K-L-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    In the dark; in obscurity.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how darkling appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
  2. As the wakeful bird sings darkling.

Etymology

From Middle English derkelyng. By surface analysis, dark + -ling.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "darkling"?
"darkling" is spelled D-A-R-K-L-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɑː(ɹ)klɪŋ/.
What does "darkling" mean?
As an adverb, "darkling" means: In the dark; in obscurity.
How do you pronounce "darkling"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "darkling" is /ˈdɑː(ɹ)klɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "darkling"?
From Middle English derkelyng. By surface analysis, dark + -ling. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "darkling", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Delmarva#91,411devourer#91,419dialogic#91,422conveyer#91,378

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list