bedtime

American  

[bed-tahym] / ˈbɛdˌtaɪm /

noun

1. the time at which a person usually goes to bed.

   It's past my bedtime.

2. the time at which a person goes to bed on a particular night.

   I have to get up early tomorrow so bedtime tonight will be 9 o'clock.

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bedtime British  

/ ˈbɛdˌtaɪm /

noun

1. 1. the time when one usually goes to bed

   2. ( as modifier )

      a bedtime story

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Etymology

Origin of bedtime

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at bed, time

Explanation

Bedtime is the time of the evening or night when you go to sleep. If you want a good excuse to leave a boring party, you can look at your watch and say, "Wow! It's way past my bedtime!" The time you generally go to bed is your bedtime, although you may not have a regular bedtime, just turning in whenever you feel sleepy. Most young children have a set bedtime, which is basically the hour their parents have decided they should go to sleep. If they're lucky, they'll get a bedtime story before the lights are turned off. Bedtime dates from the 13th century, from the Old English bedd and tima, "limited space of time."

Example Sentences

Leaving my phone outside my bedroom didn’t work; there were so many hours of primo scrolling time between 6 p.m. and bedtime.

From Slate • Apr. 26, 2026

The boys usually go to bed at 8:30 p.m. and bedtime for us is 9:30 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

"I dreaded bedtime because I didn't want to be alone in my bedroom. My heart was racing and my legs would shake."

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

These strategies include maintaining consistent bedtime routines, limiting screen exposure before bed, and setting age appropriate sleep expectations.

From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2026

When the hollering finally settled down, it was way past my bedtime.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper