overnight
Americanadverb
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for or during the night.
to stay overnight.
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on or during the previous evening.
Preparations were made overnight.
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very quickly; suddenly.
New suburbs sprang up overnight.
adjective
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done, made, occurring, or continuing during the night.
an overnight stop; an overnight decision.
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staying for one night.
a group of overnight guests.
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designed to be used on a trip or for a journey lasting one night or only a few nights.
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intended for delivery on the next day.
overnight letters; an overnight package.
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valid for one night.
The corporal got an overnight pass.
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occurring suddenly or within a very short time.
a comedian who became an overnight sensation.
noun
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Informal. an overnight stay or trip.
Our daughter had an overnight at a friend's house.
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Informal. a permit for overnight absence, as from a college dormitory.
She had an overnight the night of the prom.
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the previous evening.
verb (used without object)
adverb
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for the duration of the night
we stopped overnight
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in or as if in the course of one night; suddenly
the situation changed overnight
adjective
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done in, occurring in, or lasting the night
an overnight stop
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staying for one night
overnight guests
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lasting one night
an overnight trip
an overnight bank loan
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for use during a single night
overnight clothes
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occurring in or as if in the course of one night; sudden
an overnight victory
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overnightsimple
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overnightssimple
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have overnightedperfect
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has overnightedperfect
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am overnightingprogressive
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are overnightingprogressive
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is overnightingprogressive
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have been overnightingperfect progressive
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has been overnightingperfect progressive
Past
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overnightedsimple
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had overnightedperfect
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was overnightingprogressive
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were overnightingprogressive
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had been overnightingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overnight
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at over-, night
Explanation
When something happens overnight, it occurs during the hours of one night. An overnight party can also be called a sleepover or a slumber party. (Pack your sleeping bag, but you probably won't use it.) You can use overnight as an adverb or adjective literally meaning "during the night" — like an overnight airplane flight or a guest who stays overnight on your couch. You can also use it figuratively, to mean "quickly" or "instant." After you publish your first book, you may be an overnight success; and after an important election, the world may seem to change overnight.
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.
Stir everything together and stash your oats overnight in the fridge.
From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026
Social media can build a star overnight and tear them down just as quickly.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
Following Warsh’s instinct to its natural conclusion would mean ending interest on reserves and allowing banks to trade reserves with one another again, so that a market sets the price of overnight money.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026
It meant New Zealand were able to move from their overnight 291-7 to 391 all out.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
He paid a little extra for overnight shipping on everything.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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.
