# darkness

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɑːknəs/ · frequency rank #4,294

## Definitions
1. The state of being dark; lack of light; the absolute or comparative absence of light.
2. The state or quality of reflecting little light, of tending to a blackish or brownish color.
3. Any space that such colour pervades.
4. Gloom; gloominess; depression.
5. The product of being dark.
6. Lack of understanding or compassion; spiritual or mental blindness.
7. Secrecy; concealment.
8. Lack of knowledge; obscurity or meaning or intelligibility; the unknown.
9. Nothingness, vanity, emptiness.
10. Hell.

## Etymology
From Middle English derknesse, from Old English deorcnes; equivalent to dark + -ness.

## Easily confused with
- **dryness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darkness-vs-dryness)

## Common misspellings (11)
`adrkness`, `dakrness`, `darkenss`, `darkkness`, `darknes`, `darknness`, `darknses`, `darnkess`, `darrkness`, `ddarkness`, `drakness`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/darkness