as in nighthawks
a person who is active late at night
a night owl whose spouse is more of an early bird
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Recent Examples of night owls
Most stay open until midnight, making Taipei a dream for night owls and late-shift snackers alike.
—
Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Others are dedicated night owls.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
When the clock strikes midnight, hungry Kansas Citians will no longer be able to rely on a fixture that has supplied night owls with burgers and fries for years — at least for now.
—Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Once each day’s performances conclude, those channels will spend the overnight and early morning hours rebroadcasting the full lineup for night owls, starting at around midnight in most cases and going through breakfast time.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
But these parties aren’t just for night owls.
—Jessi Roti, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Poor sleep is more common among night owls and raises the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other conditions that impact the heart.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2026
Athena This category is named for the goddess of wisdom and reason and includes people who are neither night owls nor early birds.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 12 Mar. 2026
Some people identify as night owls, others are early risers.
—Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Others are dedicated night owls.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
When the clock strikes midnight, hungry Kansas Citians will no longer be able to rely on a fixture that has supplied night owls with burgers and fries for years — at least for now.
—Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Once each day’s performances conclude, those channels will spend the overnight and early morning hours rebroadcasting the full lineup for night owls, starting at around midnight in most cases and going through breakfast time.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
But these parties aren’t just for night owls.
—Jessi Roti, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Poor sleep is more common among night owls and raises the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other conditions that impact the heart.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2026
Athena This category is named for the goddess of wisdom and reason and includes people who are neither night owls nor early birds.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 12 Mar. 2026
Some people identify as night owls, others are early risers.
—Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Night owls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/night%20owls. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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