tonight

American  

[tuh-nahyt] / təˈnaɪt /

noun

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

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adverb

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

2. Obsolete. during last night.

tonight British  

/ təˈnaɪt /

noun

1. the night or evening of this present day

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adverb

1. in or during the night or evening of this day

2. archaic last night

Etymology

Origin of tonight

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

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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

See Examples For:

tonight

"Tonight is about capitalising on the additional capability and capacity we've got deployed tonight," he told officers at a Fettes police station briefing.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

“You’re working so hard, and at one point you take a deep breath and go, my God, how much have I sacrificed? And is it worth it? But tonight it was.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

The kit he processed tonight was roughly 20 generations removed from those originals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

At the start of tonight, the energy and anxiety in my home in east Austin, just shy of ten miles from where James Talarico’s watch party is taking place, was high.

From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026

But she hadn’t seen Jack’s sails, so he wouldn’t be home tonight, which meant there was one more thing she had to do.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

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