Not really. Dark patterns are a subset of nudges that push a user towards doing something they don't actually want. Say you have a 'signup or continue as guest' dialog with a "signup" button and a "later" button that appears when they try to use your app. If a user is seeing it, it's because they want to use your app. Highlighting one of the buttons is a common way of indicating "this is the thing to click to proceed". Highlighting "later" is a user-positive nudge, since it nudges those who are on autopilot, trying to use your app, to get to using your app. Highlighting "signup" is a user-negative nudge, and therefore dark pattern, because it gets in the way of the user's goal, use your app, purely for the sake of your signup rate, since it's optional.

>If a user is seeing it, it's because they want to use your app.

It could be because they want to try your app. It implies nothing about long-term goals.

>Highlighting "later" is a user-positive nudge

The label "later" is itself a dark pattern. It's forcing a user who only wants to try the app to lie, which exploits the principle of consistency (as documented in Cialdini's "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion") to manipulate them into continuing to use the app.

> It could be because they want to try your app. It implies nothing about long-term goals.

How does "use" imply long term? Is trying an app not at attempt to make use of it?

> It's forcing a user who only wants to try the app to lie

I didn't even notice that as I wrote it, but you're absolutely right. "skip", "continue", or even "not now" would be more neutral. This stuff really gets in your head without you realizing it when its so pervasive.