sunset

[suhn-set]

noun

1. the setting or descent of the sun below the horizon in the evening.

2. the atmospheric and scenic phenomena accompanying this.

3. the time when the sun sets.

4. the close or final stage of any period.

adjective

1. (of an industry, technology, etc.) old; declining.

   sunset industries.

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of a sunset law.

   to add sunset restrictions to a bill.

sunset

/ ˈsʌnˌsɛt /

noun

1. the daily disappearance of the sun below the horizon

2. the atmospheric phenomena accompanying this disappearance

3. Also called: sundown. the time at which the sun sets at a particular locality

4. the final stage or closing period, as of a person's life

Word History and Origins

Origin of sunset¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; sun, set

Example Sentences

Check your local sunset and sunrise times here.

From BBC

"And often, no sooner were you getting used to having him around, you would suddenly be alone... again," he added above a picture of a lone person canoeing in the sea at sunset.

From BBC

Take a sunset walk along the gently sloped, flower-scented streets above busy Sunset Boulevard in Brentwood — you will be immersed in a stillness broken only by birds chirping in the treetops.

From Los Angeles Times

It reminds me of Sea Ranch, my favorite place in the world, where I’ll eat oysters and drink white wine and watch the sunset.

From Los Angeles Times

This reddish appearance is the result of a phenomenon called "Rayleigh scattering" which also makes the sky blue and our sunsets red.

From BBC

Related Words

• dusk 
• nightfall 
• sundown 
• twilight