adv

overnight

oh-vuh-NYT

adv

Throughout the night, or during the course of one night.

"The bread dough needs to rest overnight."

Very suddenly, within an unexpectedly short time.

"The song became a hit overnight."

adj

Happening or lasting through the night.

"They booked an overnight train to Edinburgh."

verb

To stay somewhere for the night.

"We overnighted in a small guesthouse before the flight."

How to Use Overnight

Learner’s notes

In 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

overnighted past tense, overnights plural, overnights singular

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The bread dough needs to rest _____.

From Old English ofer niht ("through the night"), built from over + night; the verb use is a later development, possibly echoing German übernachten.