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.
Speaking as mourners and well-wishers gathered in Preston's Flag Market, Nolan told BBC North West Tonight of his heartbreak and anger at the convicted men.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
In 1979, when Allen was 18, he became the youngest comic to appear on “The Tonight Show.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
His mother couldn’t afford child care, so Allen often accompanied her at the studio, where he soaked up tapings of “Sanford and Son” and “The Tonight Show.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Tonight they will face Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Tonight you will stay with me in my home, and tomorrow I shall go to the bank and figure out what to do with you.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
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.
