Synonyms

in the dark

Idioms

In secret, in concealment, as in This agreement was concluded in the dark . [Early 1600s]
In a state of ignorance, uninformed, as in I was in the dark about their plans . This metaphor often appears in the locution keep someone in the dark , meaning “deliberately keep someone uninformed,” as in They kept me in the dark about their plans . [Late 1600s] For an antonym, see in the know .

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But that means 70% of workers can be kept in the dark until it’s time to vote.

From The Wall Street Journal

My whole body tensed as I imagined what that would be like, sitting beside him in the dark, our breaths fogging on the crisp air.

From Literature

I squinted in the dark, looking left and right, not sure which way the Butterfly had gone, and that’s when I saw it.

From Literature

Some career scientists say their expertise has been sidelined, and longtime employees say they have often been left in the dark about consequential vaccine decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal

That can leave the other person in the dark about how to locate and access the family’s accounts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023