twilight

noun

twi·​light ˈtwī-ˌlīt How to pronounce twilight (audio)
often attributive
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 neutralityNewsweek
b
: a period of decline

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 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.
The pairing glimmers low in the east an hour before sunrise, fading quickly in brightening twilight. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Her child looks up at the aeroplane in the sky, flying through dusk, through twilight, flying through the beginning of the end of the day. Deborah Levy, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 Try looking for it when the twilight sky is not so bright, roughly an hour or more before sunrise. Joe Rao, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2025 For six months, Orlando has been haunted by the death of Gerald Neal, a 59-year-old homeless man who was walking in the Holden Heights neighborhood at twilight when he was struck by two vehicles — first a car driven by a man apparently fleeing police, then by the pursuing police truck. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for twilight

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of twilight was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Twilight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twilight. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

twilight

noun
twi·​light ˈtwī-ˌlīt How to pronounce twilight (audio)
: the period or the light from the sky between full night and sunrise or between sunset and full night

More from Merriam-Webster on twilight

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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