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

Their results came in later, but appeared on the county's website by around midnight. —Christina Hall, Freep.com, 8 Nov. 2025

Wicked fans can relive the magic of Thursday night’s NBC TV special with the official soundtrack album, which materialized at the stroke of midnight. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2025

The holiday images will inspire window displays being rolled out worldwide, featuring a midnight-blue background decorated with Chinese lantern illuminations, trunks, the Vuitton family home in Asnières, and blossoming flowers and stars from the Monogram canvas motif. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025

The flight, with all 90 passengers and seven crew, subsequently landed safely in New York City just after midnight local time. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 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