stygian.

1. Extremely dark or gloomy, with an association of the underworld.

2. Relating to the river Styx or its associated underworld in classical mythology.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• stygian darkness
• stygian gloom

On the page

Stygian darkness swallowed the landing beyond the extinguished lamp.

The corridor’s stygian gloom made the familiar doors seem remote.

Usage notes

Primary category: horror. Forms: Comparative more stygian; superlative most stygian where gradation is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.