night shift

American  

[nahyt shift] / ˈnaɪt ˌʃɪft /

noun

1. the workforce, as of a factory, scheduled to work during the nighttime.

2. the scheduled period of labor for this workforce.

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night shift British  

noun

1. a group of workers who work a shift during the night in an industry or occupation where a day shift or a back shift is also worked

2. the period worked

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Etymology

Origin of night shift

First recorded in 1700–10

Compare meaning

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

• day shift vs. night shift

Example Sentences

In 2026 the city holds the title European Capital of Culture, though culture has been working the night shift here for centuries.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Toxic gas is believed to have built up underground in poorly ventilated tunnels, causing the workers to collapse just before the end of their night shift.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

"If we couldn't do it, I think the boss has to shut down the place for night shift."

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

He met with co-workers during a cookout at the Speed Kingz office in Laurel, Md., ahead of a recent night shift.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

“What she means is that our mother doesn’t answer her cell phone at work, and she’s on the night shift right now,” I interrupted, coming to Velia’s rescue.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall