night shift
Americannoun
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the workforce, as of a factory, scheduled to work during the nighttime.
-
the scheduled period of labor for this workforce.
noun
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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
-
the period worked
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of night shift
First recorded in 1700–10
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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.
It worked on Raycer Martin, a 19-year-old student and wine-bar chef from Arizona who plays videogames to relax after his night shift.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Normal night-time melatonin production is often suppressed in night shift workers.
From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026
"Two days ago, I was walking home early in the morning after my night shift when I heard loud booms," she said.
From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026
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
One time they switched me from the night shift to the day shift, so I worked sixteen hours straight.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
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.
