overnight
oh-vuh-NYT
Overnight (adv) means Throughout the night, or during the course of one night. Example: “Snow fell overnight, so the whole street looked different in the morning.”
adv
1
Throughout the night, or during the course of one night.
"Snow fell overnight, so the whole street looked different in the morning."
"Can I leave my phone charging overnight without damaging the battery?"
"The bread dough needs to rest overnight."
2
Very suddenly, within an unexpectedly short time.
"Nobody expected the little shop to become popular overnight."
"You can't learn a language overnight, so be patient with yourself."
"The song became a hit overnight."
adj
1
Happening or lasting through the night.
"I packed an overnight bag in case I missed the last bus."
"The hospital arranged an overnight stay so the nurses could watch her."
"They booked an overnight train to Edinburgh."
verb
1
To stay somewhere for the night.
"Hikers often overnight in mountain huts when the weather turns bad."
"Would you rather overnight in the city or drive home tonight?"
"We overnighted in a small guesthouse before the flight."
How to use overnight
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething to do with a single night — happening during it, staying through it, or (figuratively) happening extremely fast.
Common pairings
overnight success
overnight stay
overnight delivery
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like overnight.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- overnights
- Third person singular
- overnights
- Past tense
- overnighted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Snow fell _____, so the whole street looked different in the morning.
Etymology
From Old English ofer niht ("through the night"), built from over + night; the verb use is a later development, possibly echoing German übernachten.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “overnight” mean?
The word “overnight” means throughout the night, or during the course of one night. In plain terms, something to do with a single night — happening during it, staying through it, or (figuratively) happening extremely fast.
How do you pronounce “overnight”?
“Overnight” is pronounced oh-vuh-NYT (/əʊvə(ɹ)ˈnaɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “overnight” in a sentence?
Here is “overnight” used in a sentence: “The bread dough needs to rest overnight.”
What part of speech is “overnight”?
Depending on how it is used, “overnight” can be an adverb, an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “overnight” come from?
The word “overnight” comes from Old English. From Old English ofer niht ("through the night"), built from over + night; the verb use is a later development, possibly echoing German übernachten.
Is “overnight” a common word?
“Overnight” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “overnight” have?
“Overnight” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: throughout the night, or during the course of one night.
What is the difference between 'overnight' and 'over night'?
'Overnight' written as one word is the standard spelling for the adverb and adjective, as in 'stay overnight.' Writing it as two words, 'over night,' is generally considered incorrect in modern English.
Can 'overnight' be used as an adjective?
Yes. As an adjective, 'overnight' comes before a noun, as in 'an overnight stay,' 'overnight delivery,' or 'an overnight success.' In these cases it describes something lasting one night or happening very suddenly.
What is an 'overnight success'?
An 'overnight success' is a person or thing that becomes popular or successful very rapidly, seemingly out of nowhere. The phrase is often used ironically, since such 'sudden' success frequently follows years of unseen effort.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include overnight:
