overnight

1 of 4

adverb

over·​night ˌō-vər-ˈnīt How to pronounce overnight (audio)
Synonyms of overnightnext
1
a
: on the evening before
b
: during the night
stayed away overnight
2
: very quickly or suddenly
became famous overnight

overnight

2 of 4

adjective

over·​night ˌō-vər-ˈnīt How to pronounce overnight (audio)
1
: of, lasting, or staying the night
2
: sudden, rapid
an overnight sensation
3
: traveling during the night
an overnight train
4
a
: accomplished by a mail service within one day's time
overnight delivery
b
: delivered within one day's time
overnight mail

overnight

3 of 4

verb

over·​night ˈō-vər-ˌnīt How to pronounce overnight (audio) ˌō-vər-ˈnīt How to pronounce overnight (audio)
overnighted; overnighting; overnights

intransitive verb

: to stay overnight

transitive verb

: to send (something, such as a package or letter) by a mail service for delivery within one day's time

overnight

4 of 4

noun

over·​night ˈō-vər-ˌnīt How to pronounce overnight (audio)
: an overnight stay

Examples of overnight in a Sentence

Adverb He stayed overnight and went home the next day. Let the paint dry overnight. The novel made her famous overnight. Adjective They went on an overnight bus trip. Overnight guests are not allowed in the dormitory. The show was an overnight success.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Rain that turned into the season's first significant snow, accompanied by strong wind, complicated the already difficult task of tackling the blaze and firefighters had to pull out overnight after several hours, officials said. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 None of the ballistic missiles that slammed Kyiv overnight into Thursday were intercepted – an indicator that Patriot stocks are still empty or critically low. — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The Justice Department did not immediately reply to an overnight request for comment. — Victoria Bisset, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 The early election result in Brazil has sparked an overnight sell-off in the country's assets. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, dead, diseased and decaying trees will be removed during the evening and overnights hours to ensure public safety. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 My dad was handling payroll for a small organization at the time and had to walk to the UPS on Chestnut Street to overnight some paychecks. — Laurel Dalrymple, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
Those prone to blood sugar dips, pregnant women, anyone who wakes up hungry, and athletes, for whom a little casein overnight supports muscle repair, stand to benefit most. — Patsy Anthony, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 Afternoon temperatures will climb into the mid and upper 70s while overnights drip into the 50s. — CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overnight

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Adjective

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1891, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overnight was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing overnight

Rhymes for overnight

See All Rhymes for overnight

Browse Nearby Words

overnice
overnight
overnight bag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overnight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overnight. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

overnight

1 of 2 adverb
over·​night ˌō-vər-ˈnīt How to pronounce overnight (audio)
1
: on or during the evening or night
stayed away overnight
2
: very quickly or suddenly
became famous overnight

overnight

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of, lasting, or staying the night
overnight trip
an overnight guest
2
: sudden sense 1
overnight stardom
3
: traveling during the night
an overnight train
4
: delivered within one day's time
overnight mail

More from Merriam-Webster on overnight

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for overnight

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