midnight

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Twelve o'clock at night, the point when one day ends and the next begins.

   Grammar: Used without 'a' or 'the' in most time phrases: at midnight, after midnight, before midnight.

   Patterns

   • at midnight
   • after midnight
   • before midnight
   • midnight + noun (midnight snack, midnight sun)

   The train leaves at midnight, so we should get to the station by eleven thirty.

   She finished her essay just before midnight and went straight to bed.

   The shop stays open until midnight on Fridays.

2. 2noununcountable

   The middle of the night; a very late or very dark time.

   Grammar: Often used in descriptive phrases like 'the midnight sky' or 'a midnight walk' to mean deep night, not exactly 12 o'clock.

   Patterns

   • the midnight sky
   • a midnight walk
   • the midnight hour

   The midnight sky was clear and full of stars.

   They took a midnight walk along the beach.

   He often works into the midnight hours when a deadline is near.

Common combinations

at midnight

The fireworks start at midnight.

after midnight

Don't call me after midnight unless it's urgent.

midnight snack

I had a midnight snack of cheese and crackers.

strike midnight

The clock struck midnight and the party began.

the midnight sun

In northern Norway you can see the midnight sun in summer.

Synonyms and how they differ

twelve

Use 'twelve' when the context already makes it clear that you mean midnight or noon; 'midnight' is more precise.

night

'Night' is the whole dark period, while 'midnight' is one exact moment in the middle of it.

Opposites

Word family

midnightly adjective

Happening at or typical of midnight; rare and mostly literary.

Commonly confused: midnight or midday?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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