tonight
Americannoun
adverb
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on this present night; on the night of this present day.
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Obsolete. during last night.
noun
adverb
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in or during the night or evening of this day
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archaic last night
Etymology
Origin of tonight
before 1000; Middle English to night, Old English tō niht. See to, night
Explanation
Tonight is the evening that happens on the current day—not last night, not tomorrow night, but tonight. If your favorite TV show is on tonight, you'd better hurry up and finish your homework so you can tune in. If your friend suggests seeing a movie tonight, she means the upcoming night, the one that immediately follows today. Prior to the 18th century, tonight was two separate words, to night, and then until the 20th century, it was hyphenated: to-night.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I’ve got to find it tonight, tomorrow when I come to the field,” Díaz said of his slider, which hasn’t been nearly as effective as usual this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
To get your head out of Grand Canyon State politics and kick back tonight, I recommend:
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
"It is like we have won the gold medal tonight."
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
"So there will be a teleprompter operator tonight, of course -- but it will not be the one, unfortunately, in that story," Leavitt said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 16, 2026
Is that why he kept badgering me to get Jillian here tonight?
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
