nighttime

noun

night·​time ˈnīt-ˌtīm 

often attributive

: the time from dusk to dawn

Synonyms of nighttime

• night

Examples of nighttime in a Sentence

The animal hunts in the nighttime.

before electricity, gas lamps were used for illumination during the nighttime

Recent Examples on the Web

Breaking and entering a mot vehicle at nighttime for a felony. —Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026

Besides World of Frozen, Disney Adventure World will also debut a new nighttime spectacular and a new central promenade with more than two dozen dining locations. —Josh Roberts, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026

The morning games will be available only on Peacock, while the nighttime games will be on NBC from the end of the NBA season through the start of the NFL season. —Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026

This may be an important part of stimulant medication, however, as sleep disturbance and poor nighttime routines come hand-in-hand with ADHD. —New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nighttime

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• downtime
• enzyme
• halftime
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• meantime
• noontime

Kids Definition

nighttime

noun

night·​time ˈnīt-ˌtīm 

: the time from dusk to dawn

nighttime adjective

Legal Definition

nighttime

noun

night·​time

1

: the time from dusk to dawn

2

: a statutorily set period usually beginning shortly after dusk and ending shortly after dawn