night owl

noun

: a person who keeps late hours at night

Synonyms of night owl

• nighthawk

Examples of night owl in a Sentence

a night owl whose spouse is more of an early bird

Recent Examples on the Web

Sleep disturbances are common in depression, and night owls (who tend to get less sleep than early birds) are likely to have more and worse depressive symptoms. — Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026

Nearly one-quarter of adults with depression in a large study had symptoms linked to the body’s internal clock, such as being a night owl and waking up very tired. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Shift workers, night owls or anyone running late schedules may feel better with a midday or early afternoon session that matches their own rhythm. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Scientists are starting to uncover the links between being a night owl and some neuropsychiatric conditions. — Ariana Eunjung Cha, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for night owl

• afoul
• wildfowl
• foul
• foule
• fowl
• growl
• howl
• jowl
• prowl
• scowl
• waterfowl

Kids Definition

night owl

noun

: a person who usually stays up late at night