tonight
Americannoun
adverb
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on this present night; on the night of this present day.
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Obsolete. during last night.
noun
adverb
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in or during the night or evening of this day
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archaic last night
Etymology
Origin of tonight
before 1000; Middle English to night, Old English tō niht. See to, night
Explanation
Tonight is the evening that happens on the current day—not last night, not tomorrow night, but tonight. If your favorite TV show is on tonight, you'd better hurry up and finish your homework so you can tune in. If your friend suggests seeing a movie tonight, she means the upcoming night, the one that immediately follows today. Prior to the 18th century, tonight was two separate words, to night, and then until the 20th century, it was hyphenated: to-night.
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.
“I think you could feel it already tonight, with our culture and with what we have represented. But also not only our Polynesian culture ... it’s also a shared culture around the world.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026
“It’s going to be a lot different tonight getting back out there in a competitive game, the full atmosphere,” Phillips said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
The foul came with a one-game suspension, barring Balogun from playing against Belgium tonight at 8 Eastern.
From Slate • Jul. 6, 2026
In a now-famous Instagram post shared just after Independence Day weekend of 2023, Swift posted: "See you tonight Kansas Cityyy."
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
“We have to play ‘Your Valentine Card’ tonight.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
