1. overtaken by night or darkness - benighted (or nighted) travelers hurrying toward home • Syn: nighted • Similar to: unpunctual 2. lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture - this benighted country - benighted ages of barbarism and superstition - the dark ages - a dark age in the history of education • Syn: dark • Similar to: unenlightened • Derivationally related forms: dark (for: dark), darkness (for: dark)