twilight

noun, often attributive twi·light \ ˈtwī-ˌlīt \

Definition of twilight

1 :the light from the sky between full night and sunrise or between sunset and full night produced by diffusion of sunlight through the atmosphere and its dust; also :a time of twilight

2 a :an intermediate state that is not clearly defined

lived in the twilight of neutrality
—Newsweek

b :a period of decline

See twilight defined for English-language learners

See twilight defined for kids

Examples of twilight in a Sentence

The sun set and twilight fell.
stumbled around the twilight of the shuttered room, unable to see where she was going

Recent Examples of twilight from the Web

The four-course meals with a view take place at twilight and are paired with wine and spirits.

— dana mcmahan, The Courier-Journal, "Pappy alert! This is your chance to snag a bottle of Van Winkle Family Reserve 23 Year," 30 Aug. 2017
That’s not unusual for the two juveniles who scamper at twilight after the crowds leave.

— seth borenstein, The Seattle Times, "Eclipse science: From galloping giraffes to solar wisps," 21 Aug. 2017
That’s not unusual for the two juveniles who scamper at twilight after the crowds leave.

— Washington Post, "Eclipse science: From galloping giraffes to solar wisps," 21 Aug. 2017
In the twilight of his life, the figurative curator is now a literal one, planning in painstaking detail recreations of what was once and never will be again.

— james mcauley, Town & Country, "Is Pierre Bergé the Most Powerful Man In France?," 16 Aug. 2017
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 came out in 2012, while Mockingjay Part 2 came out only in 2015.

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "There Will Probably Be More Twilight and Hunger Games Movies In the Future," 10 Aug. 2017
To an American in Paris, Bastille Day feels joyously familiar — a holiday so like our own Fourth of July, commemorating an 18th-century revolution with summer picnics, parades, and fireworks at twilight.

— rhonda garelick, The Cut, "Why It Matters That Melania Wore Dior in Paris Last Week," 21 July 2017
Grilling over binchotan coals brings out the twilight sweetness in last-of-the-season figs.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
King will wrap up the four-day festival with a twilight performance Sunday at White River State Park's Military Park.

— david lindquist, Indianapolis Star, "B.B. King was eager to headline 1st Indy Jazz Fest," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'twilight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.