night

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   The dark part of each day, from when the sun goes down until it comes up again.

   Grammar: Uncountable with at: at night. Countable otherwise: three nights.

   Patterns

   • at night
   • during the night
   • all night

   We heard owls hooting all night.

   The stars are brighter at night out in the countryside.

   It rained for three nights in a row.

2. 2nouncountable

   The evening or time of an event, especially when something is organized for a particular activity.

   Grammar: Often follows another noun: movie night, quiz night.

   Patterns

   • a night out
   • game night

   Friday is our family movie night.

   The opening night of the play sold out.

   They had a night out to celebrate her birthday.

3. 3nouncountable

   The period of sleep or staying in a place between bedtime and morning.

   Grammar: Used with have, spend or stay: spend a night at a hotel.

   Patterns

   • spend a night
   • a good night's sleep

   We spent two nights at a small hotel by the lake.

   I had a terrible night because of the noise.

   Have a good night's sleep before the exam.

Word forms

Common combinations

late at night

She often studies late at night.

night out

We planned a night out with friends.

stay up all night

He stayed up all night to finish the project.

overnight

The package arrived overnight.

good night

She kissed her son and said good night.

night shift

My sister works the night shift at the hospital.

Synonyms and how they differ

evening

Evening is the early part of the dark hours before bedtime, whereas night covers the deepest dark and sleeping hours.

nighttime

Nighttime is a more precise word for the period of darkness, while night can also mean an event or a stay.

dark

Dark can describe the hours without light but is less formal and more general, as in after dark.

midnight

Midnight is a specific moment at twelve o'clock, rather than the whole period of night.

Opposites

Word family

nightly adjective

happening every night

overnight adverb

during or through the night

nightfall noun

the time when darkness begins

nocturnal adjective

active at night

nighttime noun

the hours of darkness

Commonly confused: night or knight?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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