good evening

American  

interjection

1. a conventional expression used at meeting or parting in the evening.

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good evening British  

1. a conventional expression of greeting or farewell used in the evening

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good evening Idioms  

1. see under good day.

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Etymology

Origin of good evening

First recorded in 1860–65

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Compare meaning

How does good-evening compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• good afternoon vs. good evening

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

good evening

"I always saw him in black, looking very serious and hunched over. He wouldn't say good morning or good evening."

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

On the 13th hour of the third day of a two-country trip, President Biden stepped onstage at a news conference in Vietnam and bid reporters there a good evening.

From New York Times ● Sep. 11, 2023

As we made our way out, we were bid a good evening — that small but important moment of closure is the final test — with sincerity, not once, not twice, but thrice.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2023

"Aye, it was a good evening," he told BBC Sport Scotland, barely flinching.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2022

They wished us all a good evening, and the rest of the way we walked in dreadful silence.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

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