twilight

noun

twi·​light ˈtwī-ˌlīt 

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 neutrality

—Newsweek

b

: a period of decline

Synonyms

• black
• blackness
• candlelight
• dark
• darkness
• dusk
• gloaming
• gloom
• murk
• night
• semidarkness
• shade
• shadows
• umbra

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

At 33 years old, most quarterbacks would be considered to be in the twilight of their careers, but Gannon's best football still lay ahead. —Omaid Homayun, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Makelele arrived at Chelsea in the twilight of his career. —The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025

To reduce the rare chance of a shark bit even more, the FWC recommends avoiding swimming in the twilight hours when sharks are most active, not swimming with shiny jewelry, staying in groups while out in the ocean, and never harassing or approaching a shark. —Kelli Bender, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025

The story loosely — very loosely — recalls part of the Rev. Jesse Jackson's family history: There's an aging patriarch at the twilight of his public career, an underestimated wife and two very different sons. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing twilight

• twilight glow
• twilight world
• twilight zone

Rhymes for twilight

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

twilight

noun

twi·​light ˈtwī-ˌlīt 

: the period or the light from the sky between full night and sunrise or between sunset and full night