dark night of the soul

noun

a period of time in which a holy person (someone believed to be potentially on their way to sainthood) experiences a seeming withdrawal of God's previously-felt presence in their lives, and undergoes stark spiritual attacks. This period of time is seen (by Catholics) to be a period in which God is calling the holy person to rid themselves of any remaining vestiges of self-pride and vanity that they may have.

“Your dear friend ought to take heart. From what you have told me, it is quite likely that they are going through a dark night of the soul.”

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dark night
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Meanings

noundark night of the soul (plural dark nights of the soul)

plural dark nights of the soul

  1. Catholicisma period of time in which a holy person (someone believed to be potentially on their way to sainthood) experiences a seeming withdrawal of God's previously-felt presence in their lives, and undergoes stark spiritual attacks. This period of time is seen (by Catholics) to be a period in which God is calling the holy person to rid themselves of any remaining vestiges of self-pride and vanity that they may have.

    Your dear friend ought to take heart. From what you have told me, it is quite likely that they are going through a dark night of the soul.

    Synonyms: dark night

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna period of time in which a holy person (someone believed to be potentially on their way to sainthood) experiences a seeming withdrawal of God's previously-felt presence in their lives, and undergoes stark spiritual attacks. This period of time is seen (by Catholics) to be a period in which God is calling the holy person to rid themselves of any remaining vestiges of self-pride and vanity that they may have.

Similar
dark night

Origin

Coined by John of the Cross.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian a lélek sötét éjszakája
  • a lélek sötét éjszakájaa period of time in which a holy person experiences a seeming withdrawal of God’s previously-felt presence in their lives, and undergoes stark spiritual attacks
Spanish noche oscura del alma
  • noche oscura del almaa period of time in which a holy person experiences a seeming withdrawal of God’s previously-felt presence in their lives, and undergoes stark spiritual attacks
Swedish själens dunkla natt
  • själens dunkla natta period of time in which a holy person experiences a seeming withdrawal of God’s previously-felt presence in their lives, and undergoes stark spiritual attacks
Cite this entry
APA

dark night of the soul. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20night%20of%20the%20soul

MLA

“dark night of the soul.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20night%20of%20the%20soul. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dark night of the soul,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20night%20of%20the%20soul.

Source: dark night of the soul on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.