rush hour

American  

noun

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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• rush-hour adjective

Etymology

Origin of rush hour

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Delays were calculated by the difference between overnight average speed and average speed at peak rush hour in each city.

From Los Angeles Times

But a car ride from Miami to downtown West Palm could take about two hours during rush hour, while the air taxi would take less than half that time.

From The Wall Street Journal

It wasn’t yet rush hour, but traffic was already building.

From Los Angeles Times

"In rush hour, people are so locked in to their world. They're not really paying attention and probably not expecting to see me either," she said.

From BBC

They have taken photos with visiting families on the National Mall, gathered outside metro stations during rush hour, and walked downtown streets in two- or three-troop clusters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• congestion
• traffic jam