night owl

noun

: a person who keeps late hours at night

Examples of night owl in a Sentence

a night owl whose spouse is more of an early bird
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most people acknowledge that there are two types of sleepers in the world—early birds and night owls—but research has shown that there are actually four or more sleep-wake cycles. Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 July 2025 Younger adults, including most students, are typically night owls, making early mornings a cognitive low point. Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 Good news for Austin's night owls and moon howlers. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 While some people are naturally early birds, others are night owls. Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for night owl

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of night owl was in 1594

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Cite this Entry

“Night owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/night%20owl. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

night owl

noun
: a person who usually stays up late at night

More from Merriam-Webster on night owl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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