midnight
When today becomes tomorrow
Midnight is the moment when one day ends and another begins—twelve o'clock at night, the dividing line between today and tomorrow.
It marks the middle of the night, the point of deepest darkness before dawn.
The clock struck midnight.
Midnight often carries associations with mystery, magic, or transformation: Cinderella's deadline, the witching hour.
As an adjective, it describes things happening at or associated with this hour: a midnight snack, a midnight swim, midnight blue.
One more than eleven
- witching hourTime of supernatural activity
- strokeSudden brain blood blockage
- chimeMelodic bell sound
- clockDevice displaying time
toll · zero-hour · small hours · after-hours · graveyard shift · nightwatch · curfew · last call
Total lack of sound
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- peaceFreedom from disturbance
- calmFree from agitation
- serenityUndisturbed mental quietude
hush · repose · quietude · lull · solitude · slumber · dormancy · sleeping
Active during darkness
- shadowLight blocked by object
- moonlessLacking lunar presence
- starlessLacking celestial pinpricks
- pitch-blackCompletely without light
blackout · shroud · gloom · dimness · murk · obscurity · tenebrous · unlit
Performing magical rites
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- spellcastingPerforming magical incantations
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- occultConcealed from view
ritual · supernatural · mystical · eerie · haunting · spectral · ghostly · séance
Concealed information
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- rendezvousScheduled meeting at agreed location
- trystSecret romantic meeting
- covertIntentionally concealed
conspiracy · assignation · skulking · furtive · stealthy · illicit · underground · whispered
Decisive moment of change
- cuspPoint of transition
- transitionChange from one state
- new dayPeriod following sunrise
- resetRestore to original state
date change · liminal · boundary · crossover · in-between · passage · changeover · dividing line
twelve
One more than eleven
- witching hourTime of supernatural activity
- strokeSudden brain blood blockage
- chimeMelodic bell sound
clock · toll · zero-hour · small hours · after-hours · graveyard shift · nightwatch · curfew · last call · closing time
silence
Total lack of sound
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- peaceFreedom from disturbance
- calmFree from agitation
serenity · hush · repose · quietude · lull · solitude · slumber · dormancy · sleeping · hushed
nocturnal
Active during darkness
pitch-black · blackout · shroud · gloom · dimness · murk · obscurity · tenebrous · unlit · lightless
witching
Performing magical rites
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- spellcastingPerforming magical incantations
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
occult · ritual · supernatural · mystical · eerie · haunting · spectral · ghostly · séance · conjuring
secret
Concealed information
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- rendezvousScheduled meeting at agreed location
- trystSecret romantic meeting
covert · conspiracy · assignation · skulking · furtive · stealthy · illicit · underground · whispered · escapade
turning point
Decisive moment of change
- cuspPoint of transition
- transitionChange from one state
- new dayPeriod following sunrise
reset · date change · liminal · boundary · crossover · in-between · passage · changeover · dividing line · demarcation
- Cinderellaglass slipper, fairy godmother, Prince Charming, pumpkin, stepmother
- Nightmoon, stars, moonlight, starlight, darkness
- timesecond, minute, hour, day, seconds
- timekeepingclock, watch, watches, clocks, timer
- nighttimenighttime, starry sky, moonlight, dusk, darkness
- time wordsminute, hour, day, now, soon
- midnight snackFood eaten very late
- after midnightPast twelve at night
- burn the midnight oilWork late into night
- burning the midnight oilWorking very late
- midnight blueVery dark shade of blue
- midnight skyDarkness overhead after twelve
midnights, midnight snack, midnight sun, midnight blue, midnight mass, burn the midnight oil, after midnight, midnight snacks, midnight oil