tonight

[ tuh-nahyt ]

/ təˈnaɪt /

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See synonyms for tonight on Thesaurus.com

noun

this present or coming night; the night of this present day.

adverb

on this present night; on the night of this present day.

Obsolete. during last night.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of tonight

before 1000; Middle English to night,Old English tō niht.See to, night

Words nearby tonight

tonicity, tonicoclonic, tonic pupil, tonic sol-fa, tonic spasm, tonight, tonk, tonka bean, Tonkin, Tonkinese, Tonle Sap

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use tonight in a sentence

My heart goes out to the unsung IT heroes at the Capitol tonight.
Decrypted: How bad was the US Capitol breach for cybersecurity?|Zack Whittaker|January 7, 2021|TechCrunch
Feel free to follow us on Twitter tonight for full coverage up and down the ballot.
What You Need To Know About Today’s Elections In Kansas, Michigan And Missouri|Nathaniel Rakich (nathaniel.rakich@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Higher courts, including the Supreme Court had refused to intercede, and the stay was to expire tonight.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Either this or stay home and jerk off,” said one guy when I asked why he came tonight.
The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots|Emily Shire|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In both of these latter cases, their eyes show more focus than fun, like tonight is a job.
The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots|Emily Shire|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There's blood on many hands tonight…That blood on the hands starts at City Hall in the Office of the Mayor.
Justice League Vigil for Slain NYPD Officers Asks Whose Life Matters|Olivia Nuzzi|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I finally come across the only thing open tonight at the Taj: a deli called GO, the sort of place you might find in Penn Station.
I Watched a Casino Kill Itself: The Awful Last Nights of Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal|Olivia Nuzzi|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Let your orders for preparation go round tonight, so that your knaves may be ready to set out betimes to-morrow.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Murphy was kill-crazy, and tonight the Monitor rifle in his hands had made him feel like a god.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
She was a strong-souled, high-spirited girl, but tonight hope seemed extinguished in her breast.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
If Kip didn't stop his arguing, she wouldn't vouch for him at this meeting tonight at the Weedham home.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
"There were one hundred thousand dollars worth of unset diamonds in that store tonight," Black Hood said.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tonight

tonight

/ (təˈnaɪt) /

noun

the night or evening of this present day

adverb

in or during the night or evening of this day

archaic last night

Word Origin for tonight

Old English tōniht, from to 1 (at) + night

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012