midnight

noun

mid·​night ˈmid-ˌnīt 

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

see also:

burn the midnight oil

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

All five men who were arrested after authorities said they were caught approaching the base in three vans shortly after midnight Sunday have been released on bail but remain under investigation. — Greg Miller, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026

Close to midnight on October 19, 2024, a young woman arrived at the Chi Phi fraternity house, a twelve-thousand-square-foot Tudor Revival on the campus of Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026

But, an hour before the midnight deadline for her execution was due to expire, the US Supreme Court overruled the stay, and prison officials went ahead with the process. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 1 Oct. 2026

On Friday and Saturday, their kitchen is open until midnight. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing midnight

• burn the midnight oil
• midnight blue
• midnight sun
• the midnight hour

Rhymes for midnight

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

midnight

noun

mid·​night ˈmid-ˌnīt 

: 12 o'clock at night

midnight adjective