midnight

noun

mid·​night ˈmid-ˌnīt How to pronounce midnight (audio)
1
: the middle of the night
specifically : 12 o'clock at night
2
: deep or extended darkness or gloom
midnight adjective
midnightly adverb or adjective

Examples of midnight in a Sentence

Her parents wanted her home before midnight. It was 12 midnight when we arrived home.
Recent Examples on the Web Ultra days and nights ▪ Friday: Gates open at 4 p.m. until midnight. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024 The Weather Service forecasts a 30% chance of rain after midnight on Friday. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Mar. 2024 An east wind of 5 to 8 mph will become north after midnight. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024 Daniel Penny to stand trial in October for NYC subway chokehold death The blaze was reported just after midnight at a house in Jeanette, about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh, and burned the entire home to the ground, according to fire officials and the coroner. Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 Further, Naeem Hussain, 25, was shot and killed in his car before midnight on August 5, according to authorities. Eric Levenson, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Their visceral energy provided a dynamic, welcoming beginning to their show after midnight at the Mohawk. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 The Beverly Hills sidewalks are still the same size and are the best place to be after midnight when the crush of revelers are making their way to their vehicles and off to Bey and Jay’s Gold Party or up the hills to Madge and Guy’s bash. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Listen to our daily D.C. forecasts: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Echo | More options Through tonight: Our slight chance of light, brief precipitation should end by midnight. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'midnight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of midnight was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near midnight

Cite this Entry

“Midnight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midnight. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

midnight

noun
mid·​night ˈmid-ˌnīt How to pronounce midnight (audio)
: 12 o'clock at night
midnight adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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