What does tonight mean?
Tonight is the standard English time expression for the evening and night of the present day. It is used especially for events that will take place later on that same day: “We are meeting at eight tonight.” Unlike a clock time, it identifies the relevant night even when the event occurs in the early hours after midnight. The word is grammatically flexible. As an adverb, it naturally stands where a time expression is expected, as in “I hope you sleep well tonight.” As a less common noun, it names the evening as an event or occasion, as in “Tonight was a triumph.” The expression is neutral in register and common in both British and American English. It is often more conversational than “this night,” though its appearance in phrases such as “tonight's news” or a theatre programme makes it fully suitable for formal announcements. Overall, tonight is useful because it joins precision with immediacy: it identifies not merely a day, but the particular night to which a speaker or writer is referring.
Used to refer to the evening and night of the present day, especially for an event occurring later that day.
"The concert takes place tonight."
This is the ordinary and most common use of the word.
The evening or night of the present day regarded as an occasion or period of activity.
"Tonight was the highlight of the festival."
The noun use is less common than the adverb use and occurs especially when the evening is being treated as an event.
The plural form is uncommon and is chiefly used when referring to different evenings.
"The programme offers three tonights of performances."
Tonight began as two separate words—“to” and “night”—so its meaning is hiding in plain sight.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tonight come from?
Tonight developed from the Old English phrase “to niht” and the Middle English compound “to-night,” both of which used “to” with “night” in a temporal construction. In earlier usage the elements were written separately; later usage brought them together into the modern form tonight. Its basic components are shared by modern English words such as night, midnight, overnight, and nightfall.
How tonight is actually used
Tonight is neutral in register and natural in both formal and informal contexts. It is often more conversational than “this night,” although phrases such as “tonight's news” and “tonight's performance” are entirely suitable for formal announcements.