1 B2 informal
(Informal/dialectal) Of the sky or surroundings: to become dark, especially quickly.
"It started to dark up around four o'clock, so we headed back to the car."
inseparable
dark up
B2 informal inseparable intransitive
Informal/dialectal variant of 'darken up': to become dark, especially of the sky or a space.
In plain English
To get dark — like the sky going dark before night or a storm.
What does "dark up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To become dark.
Actually means
To get dark — like the sky going dark before night or a storm.
Usage tip
More dialectal and informal than 'darken up'. Found in some British and Australian regional varieties. Rarely appears in formal writing. Often used to describe weather or the onset of nightfall.
Words that pair with "dark up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sky evening room outside quickly
How to conjugate "dark up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
dark up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
darks up
he/she/it
Past simple
darked up
yesterday
Past participle
darked up
have + pp
-ing form
darking up
continuous
Hear "dark up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "dark up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.