Meanings
- USuncountablegovernmentFunds used to pay for an election campaign that are not disclosed to voters prior to voting, whether spent on behalf of a candidate running in an election, or to influence voting on a ballot.
The Senate budget committee held a hearing on Wednesday morning to scrutinize the role of oil- and gas-linked “dark money” in delaying climate action – and tearing through local and federal budgets.
2023 June 21, Dharna Noor, “Senate examines role of ‘dark money’ in delaying climate action”, in The Guardian, →ISSN1 more example
In Colorado, at least $18 million in dark money was spent on behalf of Cory Gardner, the Republican newly elected to the Senate; $4 million was spent on behalf of Senator Mark Udall, the Democratic incumbent.
2014 November 8, “Dark Money Helped Win the Senate”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
Cite this entry
dark money. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20money
“dark money.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20money. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dark money,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20money.
Source: dark money on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.