dusk

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The time of day just before night, when the sky is still slightly light after the sun has set.

   Grammar: Usually used without 'a' or 'the' when talking about the time in general: We arrived at dusk.

   Patterns

   • at dusk
   • by dusk
   • before dusk

   We walked home at dusk and watched the streetlights come on.

   The birds return to their nests by dusk.

   It was already dusk when we reached the village.

2. 2noununcountable

   The dim, fading light in the sky at that time.

   Grammar: Can be used with 'the' to mean the light itself: The dusk made the garden look mysterious.

   Patterns

   • in the dusk
   • the dusk

   In the dusk, the mountains looked soft and blue.

   The cat's eyes shone in the dusk.

   She sat by the window, watching the dusk gather.

Common combinations

at dusk

The park closes at dusk.

from dawn to dusk

He worked from dawn to dusk without a break.

dusk falls

Dusk falls early in winter.

the dusk light

The dusk light made the room feel calm.

Synonyms and how they differ

twilight

Twilight is a more literary word and can refer to both morning and evening light, while dusk is only evening.

nightfall

Nightfall means the moment when night begins, often used in slightly more formal or literary contexts than dusk.

evening

Evening is the whole later part of the day, not just the short period of fading light.

Opposites

Word family

dusky adjective

Slightly dark in color; often used for colors or light.

Commonly confused: dusk or dawn?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “dusk”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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