Phrase guide

black as coal

adj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

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Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Completely black.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Qualifier: simile

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pitch-black, black as tar

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English blak as cole.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: schwarz wie Kohle — completely black
  • Hindi: कोयले जैसा काला (koyle jaisā kālā) — completely black
  • Japanese: 石炭のように黒い (sekitan no yō ni kuroi) — completely black
  • Limburgish: kaolzwart — completely black
  • Serbo-Croatian: црн као угљен — completely black
  • Serbo-Croatian: crn kao ugljen — completely black