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

The 45-year-old actor was detained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and taken to the Malibu/Lost Hills station in Agoura Hills shortly after midnight on Monday, according to Sheriff’s Department booking records. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Clay County’s deputy chief prosecuting attorney, Spencer Curtis, was appointed by the North Kansas City Council to fill the position, effective as of midnight on Wednesday. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026

The colors range from beige and bluish gray to hi-vis orange to midnight black, with plenty of airy gaps to keep them from feeling too dense. — Grace Edquist, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026

With the Hollywood studio system headed for a tailspin, could now be the time for midnight movies to come out of the dark and into the marquee lights? — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Sep. 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