midnight

noun

mid·​night ˈmid-ˌnīt How to pronounce midnight (audio)
1
: the middle of the night
specifically : 12 o'clock at night
2
: deep or extended darkness or gloom
midnight adjective
midnightly adverb or adjective

Examples of midnight in a Sentence

Her parents wanted her home before midnight. It was 12 midnight when we arrived home.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
During the League of California Cities conference in Long Beach, California last month, Spencer was found intoxicated on the sidewalk shortly after midnight on Oct. 18. Chase Hunter, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024 That's based on unofficial results compiled by The Associated Press, which called the race just after midnight Wednesday. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024 Taurus will rise in the eastern sky around sunset, and will be overhead from about midnight onwards, which is when viewing will be most ideal. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 Hawaii In Hawaii, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time, meaning that on the East Coast, returns won’t be reported until after midnight. Liam Quinn, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for midnight 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of midnight was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near midnight

Cite this Entry

“Midnight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midnight. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

midnight

noun
mid·​night ˈmid-ˌnīt How to pronounce midnight (audio)
: 12 o'clock at night
midnight adjective
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!