one-night stand

noun

1

: a performance (as of a play or concert) given (as by a traveling group of actors or musicians) only once in each of a series of localities

2

a

: a locality used for one-night stands

b

: a stopover for a one-night stand

3

: a sexual encounter limited to a single occasion

also : a partner in such an encounter

Examples of one-night stand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The former beauty queen, who is married to Martina Navratilova, claimed there was friction with the Brazilian art dealer due to a one-night stand years ago. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 27 Dec. 2025

The two end up drinking together, and the next morning, Rebecca wakes up in his bed, regretful of the one-night stand. —Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025

Burnet plays Charlie, an M-Tex geologist who had a one-night stand with Rebecca (Kayla Wallace) after a traumatic (and drunken) plane ride. —William Earl, Variety, 21 Dec. 2025

The idea of swiping to find the love of your life (or a one-night stand) on your mobile phone seemed alien. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-night stand

• analysand
• misunderstand
• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand