noun
graveyard shift
GRAYV-yard shift
Graveyard shift (noun) means a work shift running through the middle of the night, typically from around midnight until early morning. Example: “He does the graveyard shift at the hospital three nights a week.”
noun
1
A work shift running through the middle of the night, typically from around midnight until early morning.
"He does the graveyard shift at the hospital three nights a week."
"Nobody wants the graveyard shift over Christmas."
"I had to work the graveyard shift for most of that year, and at first I hated it, but eventually I even kind of liked it, in some ways."
"It is generally believed that when rotating shifts are necessary the rotation should move clockwise (that is, day shift first, then swing shift, then graveyard shift, then back to day shift, and so on)"
— Roberto Refinetti, Circadian physiology (2006)
How to use graveyard shift
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe overnight work shift, roughly midnight to dawn.
When to use it
Informal but universally understood; rotas and contracts say night shift instead.
Memory tip
Use the definite article: work the graveyard shift, not work graveyard shift.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
graveyard shift vs. night shift
graveyard shift vs. swing shift
Common pairings
work the graveyard shift
on the graveyard shift
graveyard shift worker
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He does the _____ at the hospital three nights a week.
Etymology
Named for the spooky, cold and silent qualities shared by the night and graveyards.
Synonyms
View more →
night shift
overnight shift
nightwatch
lobster shift
Antonyms
day shift
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What hours is the graveyard shift?
Usually around midnight to 8am, though it varies by employer — some run 11pm to 7am, others 10pm to 6am. The defining feature is that the whole shift falls in the dead of night rather than just the evening.
What is the difference between the graveyard shift and the swing shift?
The swing shift is the afternoon-to-late-evening slot, roughly 4pm to midnight, sitting between the day and night shifts. The graveyard shift is the one that follows it, running through the small hours until morning.
Why is it called the graveyard shift?
The name plays on the deathly quiet and darkness of the hours involved. The popular story about workers listening for bells on coffins is folklore rather than documented origin, and should not be repeated as fact.
What is the meaning of graveyard shift?
"graveyard shift" (noun) means a work shift running through the middle of the night, typically from around midnight until early morning.
