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

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

And Bogan Bogdanovic agreed to terms with Houston just before midnight. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

As midnight neared on Monday, rescuers pulled Dariana’s body from the mound of debris that had once been her home. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

When Centre Court added lighting and a retractable roof in 2009, officials introduced a formal curfew out of respect for residents and to align with London’s Tube schedule, which ends around midnight. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026

Police were called to Richards Drive at Hayes Drive, near the Statue of the Republic, for a crash just after midnight Sunday. — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 30 June 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