Meaning & use
noon
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
Twelve o'clock in the daytime; the middle of the day.
Grammar: Usually uncountable; used without 'a' or plural: 'at noon', not 'at a noon'.
Patterns
- at noon
- by noon
- around noon
- before/after noon
We'll meet at noon for lunch.
The train leaves at noon tomorrow.
By noon, the temperature had reached 30°C.
nounsingularliterary
The highest point or peak of something.
Grammar: Used in the phrase 'the noon of something', often literary.
Patterns
- the noon of something
He was at the noon of his career.
The empire was in the noon of its power.
Common combinations
- high noon
- The duel took place at high noon.
- noon break
- We have a noon break for lunch.
- noon sun
- The noon sun was blazing hot.
- twelve noon
- The meeting is at twelve noon sharp.
Synonyms and how they differ
- midday
- Midday is very similar but can refer to the period around noon, not just exactly 12 o'clock.
- twelve
- Twelve can mean noon or midnight; noon is only daytime.
Opposites
Word family
- noonday adjective
- Relating to noon; e.g., 'the noonday heat'.
- noontime noun
- The time around noon; e.g., 'at noontime'.
Commonly confused: noon or midnight?
noon vs midnight
Midnight is 12 o'clock at night; noon is 12 o'clock in the day.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
Noon is used without an article and with 'at': 'at noon'. The other prepositions and the article 'the' are not used in this fixed phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “noon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.