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Showing results for dawn. Search instead for dawns.
Definitions

dawn

[dawn] / dɔn /
NOUN
beginning of day
Synonyms
STRONGEST
dawning daybreak daylight morning
STRONG
aurora cockcrow light morn sunrise sunup
WEAK
break of day bright crack of dawn day-peep early bright first blush first light wee hours
Antonyms
STRONGEST
darkness sunset
WEAK
conclusion dusk end ending evening eventide finish setting sundown
NOUN
a beginning
Synonyms
STRONGEST
advent birth dawning
STRONG
alpha commencement emergence foundation genesis head inception onset opening origin outset rise source start unfolding
WEAK
outstart
Antonyms
STRONGEST
end
STRONG
completion conclusion death effect ending finale finish result stop
WEAK
dusk evening eventide setting sundown sunset
VERB
start
Synonyms
STRONGEST
loom unfold
STRONG
appear begin develop emerge glimmer initiate lighten open originate rise
WEAK
show itself
Antonyms
STRONG
close conclude decrease disappear end finish hide lessen terminate
WEAK
set

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.

Instead, I woke before dawn, as I had done every day for months, and walked the short distance to the hospital.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

At the dawn of the 2025 season, we published a column with the headline, “What’s the future for aging Angel Stadium? It feels like an increasingly uncertain one.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan gathered before dawn Thursday in Riyadh for talks aimed at finding a diplomatic off-ramp to the war in Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

That involves “rising before dawn to begin the day with liturgical prayer and returning to church periodically during the day for further prayer together.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

I’m flying to Sunshine Island at dawn, to meet a boat from the adventure-cruise company Troppo Tourists.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.