as in night
of, relating to, or occurring in the night he bought a new telescope so he could pursue his favorite nocturnal hobby of astronomy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nocturnal Pangolins are nocturnal animals that curl into a tight ball to protect themselves from predators. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2025 This allows moths, bats, fireflies, and other nocturnal insects to locate flowers for feeding and pollination efficiently. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 June 2025 Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes the Herdsman, although the constellation really looks more like a giant nocturnal kite with Arcturus marking the tail. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025 There will be guided night hikes with night vision goggles to see owls, bats and other nocturnal creatures, as well as visiting ambassador animals, demonstrations, crafts and more. Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for nocturnal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nocturnal
night
Adjective
  • The theater hosted rare Milwaukee stops for such performers as Kevin Costner, Dana Carvey and Ray Romano with Brad Garrett, while acts like Cheap Trick, Rick Springfield, Roger Hodgson of Supertramp and the Brian Setzer Orchestra held multi-night residencies.
    Journal Sentinel, Journal Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2023
  • The pair can also arrange multi-night pack trips or erect a camp next to an old miner’s cabin for a backcountry-light experience catered by the house chef.
    Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 4 Feb. 2023

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nocturnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nocturnal. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on nocturnal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!