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

Rain will change to snow in New York City and Philadelphia late Saturday with heaviest snow falling after midnight and into the early morning hours. —Max Golembo, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2025

Initially, the show was scheduled in the half hour before midnight on the East Coast, but it was soon moved forward a few hours, and scored big ratings. —Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025

Preliminary reports indicated that McLaughlin entered the school after forcing open a window just before midnight. —Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025

Moonlight shouldn't spoil the show too badly this year, though a 26%-lit waning crescent moon rises an hour or two after midnight, which may make viewing slightly more challenging in the hours preceding sunrise. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Dec. 2025

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