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

Adding to the litany of shabbiness is the fact that the company is in its twilight. —Han Ong, New Yorker, 22 June 2025

In contrast, heading south, the duration of twilight is shorter. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 19 June 2025

Sunset blush: Inspired by the fiery hues of the sky just before twilight, this blush style combines the warmth of orange with the radiance of pink for a sweet glow. —Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 18 June 2025

However, with Venus dazzling before dawn and red Mars embracing blue Regulus, there can be no complaints about twilight’s delights. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 June 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