Darkness is something we all experience. Whether it’s nighttime, a shadowy room, or a feeling, darkness can feel heavy and mysterious. But sometimes, it’s hard to describe exactly how dark something really is. That’s where similes come in. Similes are comparisons using the words “like” or “as.” They help us show the depth of darkness by linking it to familiar, vivid images.
In this article, we will explore different similes for dark. Each simile paints a clear picture of just how deep, thick, or overwhelming darkness can feel. You’ll also get a chance to practice using these similes on your own. By the end, you’ll have some powerful ways to describe darkness in your stories, poems, or everyday conversations!
Similes for Dark
1. Dark as a moonless night
Meaning: Extremely dark, with no light at all.
In a Sentence: The cave was as dark as a moonless night, and we couldn’t see a thing ahead of us.
Other Ways to Say: Pitch black, Black as coal
2. Dark as a closed closet
Meaning: Completely dark, with no light sneaking in.
In a Sentence: When I shut the door, the room became dark as a closed closet, leaving me feeling a bit lost.
Other Ways to Say: Sealed in blackness, Shut in the dark
3. Dark as a shadow’s heart
Meaning: Deep, rich darkness, full of mystery.
In a Sentence: The forest was dark as a shadow’s heart when the sun finally set behind the hills.
Other Ways to Say: Cloaked in mystery, Veiled in blackness
4. Dark as a cave deep underground
Meaning: Thick, complete darkness, like being buried beneath the earth.
In a Sentence: The old mine was as dark as a cave deep underground, and the air was heavy and cold.
Other Ways to Say: Buried in blackness, Lost in shadows
5. Dark as a stormy night
Meaning: Thick darkness mixed with fear and power.
In a Sentence: The clouds rolled in, and the sky turned dark as a stormy night before the rain began to pour.
Other Ways to Say: Thunderous darkness, Ominous black skies
6. Dark as a raven’s wing
Meaning: Glossy, deep black like the feathers of a raven.
In a Sentence: Her hair was dark as a raven’s wing, shining even under the dim lights.
Other Ways to Say: Black as jet, Dark as ink
7. Dark as a tunnel with no end
Meaning: Deep, endless darkness that feels impossible to escape.
In a Sentence: Walking through the abandoned subway felt dark as a tunnel with no end.
Other Ways to Say: Endless gloom, Never-ending night
8. Dark as a locked cellar
Meaning: Total darkness, hidden away beneath the surface.
In a Sentence: The old cellar was dark as a locked cellar, and the creaky stairs made it even scarier.
Other Ways to Say: Sealed in blackness, Hidden in gloom
9. Dark as a new moon night
Meaning: A night with no moonlight, offering almost no visibility.
In a Sentence: It was dark as a new moon night while we camped out in the woods.
Other Ways to Say: Moonless dark, Nightfall without light
10. Dark as midnight without stars
Meaning: Total darkness without even a twinkle in the sky.
In a Sentence: The desert stretched before us, dark as midnight without stars, endless and eerie.
Other Ways to Say: Starless dark, Complete nightfall
11. Dark as ink spilled across a page
Meaning: Thick, heavy blackness spreading everywhere.
In a Sentence: The blackout made everything dark as ink spilled across a page.
Other Ways to Say: Inky darkness, Black spill
12. Dark as a black cat in a coal mine
Meaning: Extremely black, blending perfectly with the surroundings.
In a Sentence: The alley was so dark, it was like a black cat in a coal mine, invisible to everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Pitch black, Invisible in the dark
13. Dark as a winter night in the countryside
Meaning: Still, chilling darkness with no city lights nearby.
In a Sentence: The cabin was dark as a winter night in the countryside, cold and silent.
Other Ways to Say: Silent night dark, Icy blackness
14. Dark as the bottom of the ocean
Meaning: Utter darkness, like the depths where no sunlight reaches.
In a Sentence: The deep cavern was dark as the bottom of the ocean, cold and endless.
Other Ways to Say: Abyss-like, Sunless deep
15. Dark as a burnt-out candle
Meaning: Complete darkness once a source of light disappears.
In a Sentence: When the candle flickered out, the room turned dark as a burnt-out candle.
Other Ways to Say: Snuffed out, Extinguished night
16. Dark as a wolf’s den
Meaning: Very dark and hidden, like the shelter of a wild animal.
In a Sentence: The basement was dark as a wolf’s den, silent and full of strange sounds.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden in darkness, Sheltered in blackness
17. Dark as smoke at midnight
Meaning: Thick, swirling darkness that blurs everything.
In a Sentence: The battlefield was dark as smoke at midnight, hiding friends and foes alike.
Other Ways to Say: Smoky gloom, Midnight haze
18. Dark as a magician’s cloak
Meaning: Mysterious and deep, like something used for tricks and secrets.
In a Sentence: His jacket was dark as a magician’s cloak, swallowing the light around him.
Other Ways to Say: Cloaked in mystery, Veil of darkness
19. Dark as an abandoned mansion
Meaning: Creepy and completely dark, abandoned and forgotten.
In a Sentence: The old house was dark as an abandoned mansion, and every creak made us jump.
Other Ways to Say: Haunted blackness, Silent gloom
20. Dark as a thundercloud
Meaning: Thick, heavy darkness full of tension.
In a Sentence: His mood was dark as a thundercloud after the argument.
Other Ways to Say: Stormy darkness, Brooding blackness
21. Dark as a crow’s feather
Meaning: Smooth and deep black, beautiful yet shadowy.
In a Sentence: Her dress was dark as a crow’s feather, gleaming under the dim lights.
Other Ways to Say: Feathery black, Shiny dark
22. Dark as a bat’s cave
Meaning: Completely dark, where even bats have to rely on sound instead of sight.
In a Sentence: The mine shaft was dark as a bat’s cave, with nothing visible past a few inches.
Other Ways to Say: Echoing darkness, Soundless black
23. Dark as the space between stars
Meaning: Infinite, deep black stretching beyond imagination.
In a Sentence: Space itself is dark as the space between stars, cold and endless.
Other Ways to Say: Cosmic darkness, Infinite night
24. Dark as a pirate’s ship hold
Meaning: A hidden, enclosed space with no natural light.
In a Sentence: We opened the hatch, and it was dark as a pirate’s ship hold inside.
Other Ways to Say: Sealed gloom, Shadowy cargo hold
25. Dark as a panther in the jungle
Meaning: Stealthy and dark, blending perfectly with the night.
In a Sentence: The forest was so dark, it was like a panther in the jungle—silent and unseen.
Other Ways to Say: Jungle darkness, Hidden predator blackness
26. Dark as a witch’s brew
Meaning: Mysterious and eerie, like something brewing in secret.
In a Sentence: The misty swamp was dark as a witch’s brew, full of strange smells and shadows.
Other Ways to Say: Murky blackness, Bewitching gloom
27. Dark as velvet at midnight
Meaning: Deep and soft darkness, smooth and rich.
In a Sentence: Her jacket was dark as velvet at midnight, soft to the touch and deep in color.
Other Ways to Say: Midnight velvet, Luxurious dark
28. Dark as the inside of a coffin
Meaning: Claustrophobic, tight darkness with no hope of light.
In a Sentence: The abandoned tunnel was dark as the inside of a coffin, chilling me to the bone.
Other Ways to Say: Deathly black, Sealed blackness
29. Dark as a forgotten crypt
Meaning: Ancient, deep darkness untouched by light.
In a Sentence: The castle’s basement was dark as a forgotten crypt, heavy with silence.
Other Ways to Say: Ancient blackness, Timeworn gloom
30. Dark as a blindfolded dream
Meaning: Darkness felt rather than seen, full of confusion.
In a Sentence: Lost in thought, my mind felt dark as a blindfolded dream, with no clear path ahead.
Other Ways to Say: Dreamlike darkness, Mind’s black maze
31. Dark as soot in a chimney
Meaning: Thick, grimy blackness clinging everywhere.
In a Sentence: The old fireplace was dark as soot in a chimney, layered with years of grime.
Other Ways to Say: Grimy blackness, Ashen gloom
32. Dark as the back of a crow’s throat
Meaning: Deep and unreachable darkness.
In a Sentence: The cavern was dark as the back of a crow’s throat, swallowing every whisper of light.
Other Ways to Say: Deep black void, Untouchable darkness
33. Dark as a black velvet curtain
Meaning: Soft and smooth but still utterly dark.
In a Sentence: The theater was dark as a black velvet curtain when the lights went out.
Other Ways to Say: Draped in blackness, Velvety dark
34. Dark as the final minutes before dawn
Meaning: The deepest part of the night, just before light returns.
In a Sentence: It felt dark as the final minutes before dawn, when hope seems most distant.
Other Ways to Say: Last breath of night, Pre-dawn blackness
35. Dark as the depths of a well
Meaning: Deep and unreachable, hidden far below.
In a Sentence: Peering into the old well, it looked dark as the depths of a well with no bottom.
Other Ways to Say: Bottomless gloom, Endless blackness
36. Dark as a pit with no ladder
Meaning: Trapped in darkness without an easy escape.
In a Sentence: Falling into the abandoned quarry felt dark as a pit with no ladder.
Other Ways to Say: Hopeless blackness, Inescapable gloom
37. Dark as the forgotten corners of an attic
Meaning: Dusty, thick darkness where light rarely reaches.
In a Sentence: We explored the attic, where it was dark as the forgotten corners of an attic filled with memories.
Other Ways to Say: Dusty blackness, Hidden gloom
38. Dark as a magician’s hat
Meaning: Full of secrets, shadows, and hidden things.
In a Sentence: The alley was dark as a magician’s hat, with mysteries waiting inside.
Other Ways to Say: Mysterious black, Trickster’s darkness
39. Dark as the ashes after a fire
Meaning: A quiet, empty kind of darkness.
In a Sentence: After the campfire went out, the world was dark as the ashes after a fire.
Other Ways to Say: Ashen night, Burned-out blackness
40. Dark as an old abandoned prison
Meaning: A chilling and heavy darkness.
In a Sentence: Walking past the ruins felt dark as an old abandoned prison, full of ghostly memories.
Other Ways to Say: Haunted blackness, Forgotten gloom
41. Dark as a wolf’s howl in the night
Meaning: Darkness that echoes fear and loneliness.
In a Sentence: Alone in the forest, it was dark as a wolf’s howl in the night, chilling me inside out.
Other Ways to Say: Lonely blackness, Echoing darkness
42. Dark as a candle snuffed in a storm
Meaning: Darkness that feels sudden and overpowering.
In a Sentence: The power went out, leaving the house dark as a candle snuffed in a storm.
Other Ways to Say: Stormy blackness, Quick-fading light
43. Dark as the ink of an octopus
Meaning: Cloudy and thick darkness that blinds you.
In a Sentence: The murky lake was dark as the ink of an octopus, swirling and shifting.
Other Ways to Say: Cloudy dark, Murky gloom
44. Dark as the fear inside you
Meaning: An emotional, personal darkness rooted in fear.
In a Sentence: Facing my worst nightmare felt dark as the fear inside me, heavy and overwhelming.
Other Ways to Say: Inner darkness, Fearful blackness
45. Dark as the secrets of the deep woods
Meaning: Hidden and unknown darkness full of mystery.
In a Sentence: The untouched forest was dark as the secrets of the deep woods, whispering untold stories.
Other Ways to Say: Forest gloom, Secretive blackness
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- When we stepped inside the cave, it was dark as a _______.
- The cellar was dark as a _______ after the lights blew out.
- At midnight, the road ahead looked dark as a _______.
- Without the stars, the sky seemed dark as a _______ night.
- The deep forest felt dark as the _______ between stars.
- Inside the tunnel, it was dark as a _______ with no end.
- Her hair was shiny and dark as a _______ wing.
- The storm clouds made the afternoon sky dark as a _______.
- The lake water was swirling and dark as the _______ of an octopus.
- The basement was silent and dark as an _______ mansion.
Answers
moonless night, locked cellar, tunnel, new moon, space, tunnel, raven’s, thundercloud, ink, abandoned
Conclusion
Similes make it so much easier to describe feelings, sights, and moods. When it comes to darkness, words alone sometimes aren’t enough—but a powerful simile brings that deep, heavy blackness to life. Whether you’re describing a starless night, a forgotten attic, or the fear inside, these similes help paint a vivid, unforgettable picture. Keep practicing and soon you’ll have endless ways to talk about the dark, and maybe even find some poetry hidden inside it.
