weeknight
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Usage
What is a weeknight? A weeknight is the evening of a weekday—any day that is not a weekend day. Since the weekend is considered to consist of Saturday and Sunday, the weekdays are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The word week most commonly refers to any period of seven consecutive days, or to the seven-day period on the calendar that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. However, in weekday and weeknight, it refers to the five-day period that’s often considered the workweek or school week. The standard workweek is from Monday through Friday, though working schedules vary widely. For this reason, terms like weekday and weeknight are typically used—instead of just saying day or night—to distinguish them from the days and nights on the weekend. The similar terms work night and school night refer to nights when a person has to work or go to school the next day. Weeknight doesn’t necessarily imply this, but most people are probably less likely to call Friday night a weeknight since Friday evening is often considered the start of the weekend (though Friday is still considered a weekday.)Weeknight is commonly used as an adjective, as in weeknight dinner. The word weeknights can be used as an adverb meaning on weeknights, as in I work weeknights, but I’m free weekends. Example: I don’t usually like to be out so late on a weeknight, but I couldn’t miss this!
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of weeknight
Explanation
If it's evening, and the next day isn't Saturday or Sunday, it's a weeknight. Don't plan that sleepover party for a Tuesday — it's a weeknight, and you've got to get up early the next morning for school. During the regular work week, most people tend to go to bed before it gets too late. On weeknights, you're less likely to go to a movie that starts at 9:00 or invite your friends over for a late night dance party. Whether you've got work or school in the morning, weeknights are often all about being responsible. Your favorite restaurant might even close early on weeknights, while staying open until midnight on the weekend.
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.
Her role at CBS made her the first female solo anchor of a national weeknight news broadcast.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
Livesey previously worked as editor-in-chief of Sullivan's Sport newspapers and now presents a weeknight show on BBC Radio 5 Live.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Whether you’re looking to spruce up weeknight dinners or wow a crowd of guests, be sure to give these embellishments a try.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
“This was a war game in a residential neighborhood recently devastated by catastrophic fire that took place in a weeknight, in the middle of the night.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
In downtown Manhattan, black cars line up outside Goldman Sachs’s headquarters every weeknight around nine.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
