nightfall

American  

[nahyt-fawl] / ˈnaɪtˌfɔl /

noun

1. the coming of night; the end of daylight; dusk.

   Synonyms:

   sundown, twilight

---

nightfall British  

/ ˈnaɪtˌfɔːl /

noun

1. the approach of darkness; dusk

---

Etymology

Origin of nightfall

First recorded in 1605–15; night + fall

Explanation

Nightfall is the part of a day when the sun goes down and evening begins. In suburban neighborhoods, parents often call their kids to come home for dinner at nightfall. It gets dark at nightfall, marking the end of the day. You can also all this time dusk or twilight. If your dad warns you to be home from your bike ride by nightfall, he wants you home before sunset. Nightfall has a bit of an old fashioned, poetic sound, and it dates from the early eighteenth century, a combination of night, from the Old English niht, or "darkness," and fall, or "come suddenly."

Example Sentences

By nightfall, the country would begin to learn the outcome.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

Initially, “Undertone” is adept in producing a simple, familiar atmosphere, where fear can be easily manifested come nightfall.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Come nightfall, I walked to the 11th arrondissement, known for its dining and shopping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

In the weeks that followed its capture, the streets emptied out at nightfall and the buzz evaporated from the bars that had once offered some respite in a region scarred by three decades of conflict.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

It was near nightfall on a simmering July Saturday, and all the horrors of the night before seemed to be whisked away on the rushing wind.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• dusk
• sundown
• sunset