black as night

USAGE SUMMARY

"black as night" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to describe something that is very dark or black in color. For example, "The raven perched atop the branch was black as night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Underneath the clothes I was black as night.

The Guardian - Books

It's as black as night in there, he remarked.

The New York Times - Books

Black as night, they looked right at me, then loped off through the trees.

The Guardian

Meet the goth: activated charcoal, a processed ingredient often made from heated coconut shells that turns food black as night.

The Washington Post

We seem to be reaching the present day, and sure enough, the final work is a funeral pyre of retail pallets, stacked high and black as night.

The Guardian - Arts

A choirboy holds a candle up to his hymns but we only see the tip of the flame above a book that's as black as night.

The Guardian - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

In Look No. 3, he was daring and mysterious, over-dyed as a black-as-night wool and vinyl sleeveless dress.

The New York Times

Underworld Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1993) Before Born Slippy took them overground, Underworld made this dark dance classic a claustrophobic, black-as-night procession of startling modern techno.

The Guardian - Music

There were imperfections in the playing, but I was struck by the vehemence of the climaxes — the opening of Bluebeard's fifth door made a splendid roar, with DeYoung holding her own against the tumult — and by the intensity of the sotto-voce episodes, such as the end of Act I of "Fidelio" and Bartók's black-as-night coda.

The New Yorker

There were imperfections in the playing, but I was struck by the vehemence of the climaxes the opening of Bluebeard's fifth door made a splendid roar, with DeYoung holding her own against the tumult and by the intensity of the sotto-voce episodes, such as the end of Act I of "Fidelio" and Bartók's black-as-night coda.

The New Yorker

It doesn't matter if you're at HARD's Day of the Dead, some grimy eastside after-hours, or even just strolling your way to the local market to pick up some coconut water, you're gonna come across one of these black-as-night shirts on the way.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "black as night" to create a vivid image of intense darkness, especially when aiming for a slightly dramatic or literary effect in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "black as night" in contexts where a simple "dark" or "black" would suffice. Overusing similes can make your writing sound cliché or forced.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "black as night" functions primarily as an adjectival simile, modifying a noun to describe its color or darkness. As shown in the examples provided by Ludwig, it vividly illustrates extreme darkness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Arts

17%

Books

13%

Less common in

Travel

8%

Music

4%

Wiki

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "black as night" is a common and effective adjectival simile used to describe extreme darkness. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across diverse contexts, particularly in news, arts, and books. While versatile, it’s best used to create vivid imagery in descriptive writing, avoiding overuse in simple contexts. Related phrases like ""pitch black"" or ""utterly black"" offer similar meanings with slight variations in intensity or style. Overall, "black as night" remains a powerful tool for writers seeking to evoke a strong sense of darkness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pitch black

More concise and direct, omitting the simile structure.

utterly black

Emphasizes the completeness of the blackness, less figurative.

jet black

References a specific shade of black, implying a glossy blackness.

as dark as pitch

Uses a different substance (pitch) as the reference point for darkness.

inky black

Associates the blackness with ink, suggesting a deep and dense color.

coal black

Simile using coal as a dark color reference.

as black as coal

Uses the simile format to compare to the color of coal.

dark as night

Switches the order of the phrase but maintains the core meaning.

completely dark

A literal description of the absence of light.

total darkness

Emphasizes the complete absence of light using a noun phrase.

FAQs

How can I use "black as night" in a sentence?

Use "black as night" to describe something extremely dark, for example: "The forest was "black as night", making it difficult to see."

What is a similar phrase to "black as night"?

Alternatives include "pitch black", "utterly black", or "jet black", each offering a slightly different nuance of intense darkness.

Is it better to say "dark as night" or "black as night"?

Both ""black as night"" and "dark as night" are acceptable, but "black as night" is more commonly used to emphasize color, while "dark as night" focuses on the absence of light.

In what contexts is "black as night" most appropriate?

"Black as night" is suitable in descriptive writing to evoke a strong sense of darkness, particularly in literary or creative contexts, but avoid overuse in technical writing.