pitch-black

adjective

ˈpich-ˈblak How to pronounce pitch-black (audio)
Definition of pitch-blacknext
1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light finding anything in a pitch-black room is almost impossible

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in black
having the color of soot or coal a pitch-black cat with green eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pitch-black The lawsuit, filed in Douglas County District Court, says Miller was kept in a pitch-black basement where loud music blared from a large speaker placed near his head. — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026 Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately for them—many dinosaurs were not alive to experience this global-wildfire-pitch-black hellscape. — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 School boards and parents are also concerned about children walking to school in pitch-black conditions during winter mornings. — Yonat Shimron, NPR, 16 July 2026 Later that pitch-black night, Erez steps to the edge of her terrace, looks down at the sleepy city below, and lets out a blood-curdling scream. — Marisa Fox, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pitch-black
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitch-black
  1. darkened
  2. black
  3. dark
  4. pitch-dark
  5. murky
Adjective
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • In an appearance on Emma Grede’s Aspire podcast, Garner opted for a black, button-front vest styled with wide-leg, pleat-front trousers and a pair of pumps.
    — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Shop the Patio Zen Deck Box in black or gray and choose from 16 capacities ranging from 30 to 320 gallons.
    — Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of black
Adjective
  • On top of the moving-camera-foamy-dark-mouth challenge, there was the plaque challenge.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Finley’s breakout was the 2017 dark comedy Thoroughbreds, in which Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy play high-schoolers conspiring to kill an abusive stepfather.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • The music is quiet but powerful, blending pitch-dark tones and sunny melodies in ways that can recall Elliott Smith, Joanna Newsom, and Animal Collective, among other left-field heroes.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2026
  • The 21st century has yielded no shortage of stylish horror marbled with devious veins of pitch-dark humor — Peter Strickland’s In Fabric, Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies, Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, pretty much every Jordan Peele feature.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Definition of pitch-dark
Adjective
  • The presence of Jacory Croskey-Merritt, deep sleeper Kaytron Allen and White may make the Commanders backfield murkier than the Reflecting Pool, but their roles are clearer than most suspect.
    — Brad Evans, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The situation is also murky for those living outside their favorite team’s region.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of murky

Browse Nearby Words

pitch
pitch-black
pitch-dark
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Cite this Entry

“Pitch-black.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitch-black. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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