Stygian
/ˈstɪdʒiən/adjective
Very dark, gloomy and scary, much like the underworld.
The room was stygian, without a single source of light.
Often appears as...
- stygian darkness
- stygian gloom
Usage tips
Formal
Literary
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Tone
Stygian often describes a mood or atmosphere of profound darkness and depression.
After the tragedy, a stygian silence enveloped the community.
Pro Tip 2/3Literary Flair
Stygian is commonly used to add a dramatic effect in storytelling or poetry.
The novel began on a stygian night, with howling winds.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity
Use stygian to emphasize extreme darkness, deeper than just 'dark' or 'dim'.
Lost in the forest at midnight, they found themselves in almost stygian blackness.
Compare with
blackbleakdarkdismalgloomygrimmurkypitch-blackshadowy
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