rush hour

American  

noun

• rush hours
  plural

1. a time of day in which large numbers of people are in transit, as going to or returning from work, and that is characterized by particularly heavy traffic.

---

rush hour British  

noun

1. a period at the beginning and end of the working day when large numbers of people are travelling to or from work

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• rush-hour
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• rush hours
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rush hour

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rush hour

Metrolink service was not affected as the afternoon rush hour began, according to a spokesperson for the commuter rail system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

After the two steel columns buckled and several floors of the building began to sag, nine surrounding buildings were evacuated and emergency responders blocked off the streets amid morning rush hour.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

A BBC reporter on the scene said traffic was bumper to bumper, with several roads closed during rush hour traffic.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

Emergency services evacuated a busy Manhattan street block during the Tuesday morning rush hour after structural columns buckled inside a skyscraper undergoing construction work, officials said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026

At first it’s the typical rush hour stop and go, but on this particular Tuesday things start to feel different right away.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• congestion
• traffic jam