late-night
late-night — adjective
1. Happening, appearing, or available very late in the evening, typically after mos
Happening, appearing, or available very late in the evening, typically after most people would normally be asleep or after usual business hours.
Valentina works the late-night shift at the hospital's emergency room.
collocation: late-night shift
The network cancelled the late-night talk show after viewer numbers fell.
collocation: late-night talk show
Haruto picked up a late-night snack from the convenience store on his way home.
Yara took the late-night bus home after the concert ended at midnight.
Imani called a late-night taxi when her car would not start.
- nighttime
broader in meaning — 'nighttime' covers the whole night, not specifically the late part
- after-hours
more specific — refers to activities after official closing time, often in entertainment or business contexts
- early-morning
opposite time of day
文法句型
late-night + noun
用法筆記
Attributive only — always placed before the noun it modifies. Common with nouns describing work shifts, television programmes, meals, and services.
常見錯誤
late-night — noun
1. A night on which a person goes to sleep much later than their usual bedtime, oft
A night on which a person goes to sleep much later than their usual bedtime, often because of work, study, social plans, or an event.
After another late night finishing the report, Talia was too exhausted to make breakfast.
phrasal pattern: 'another late night' + [reason]
The children had a late night at the festival and fell asleep in the car.
collocation: have a late night
Nikhil's doctor warned him that too many late nights could harm his health.
Rachid could not concentrate at work after a late night at his friend's birthday party.
You look exhausted, Kasia — did you have a late night at the library again?
- late bedtime
more literal — focuses on the time of going to bed rather than the night as an event
- early night
a night when you go to bed earlier than usual
文法句型
have / get / need + a late night
用法筆記
Commonly used in the phrases 'have a late night' or 'be having a late night.' Often describes a single night or repeated pattern ('another late night,' 'too many late nights').
常見錯誤
late-night — phrase
1. An occasion when someone deliberately stays awake until the early hours of the m
An occasion when someone deliberately stays awake until the early hours of the morning, especially for a specific purpose such as studying, working, celebrating, or completing a task.
The engineering students pulled a late night before the final exam, reviewing notes over coffee.
collocation: pull a late night
After a late night at the wedding, Maeve woke up with a headache.
Henrik regretted the late night before his five-am flight.
Élise and her team pulled a late night to get the software ready for launch.
Otis tries not to pull a late night on weekdays, but stays up when his cousin visits from Seoul.
- all-nighter
more intense — implies staying awake through the entire night, not just until late
- late session
more general — describes working or studying late without implying staying awake until very early hours
文法句型
pull a late night
have a late night
用法筆記
This phrase emphasises the deliberate choice or necessity of staying awake rather than simply going to bed late. Especially common with the verb 'pull' (e.g. 'pull a late night'). Slightly more informal than the noun sense, with a focus on the active effort to stay awake.