What Time Is Evening? | Definition & Use
When we use the word evening to refer to plans and arrangements, we are generally thinking of a period of the day that begins at about 5 or 6 p.m. (17:00–18:00) and lasts up to about 11 p.m. or midnight (11:00–12:00). In other words, from when most people finish their working day until when most people go to bed.
As evening time is not a precise concept, it is best to clarify statements like “Let’s meet tomorrow evening” with exact times. If an event starts after about 9:30 p.m., we will probably describe it as starting in the “late evening,” rather than in the evening.
| Evening in a sentence | Scenario | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| What about tomorrow evening? | Someone arranging when to go to the movies with a friend. | They are probably referring to a showtime in the earlier part of the evening (i.e., starting no later than about 9 p.m.) |
| I booked an evening flight. | Someone informing their family about vacation arrangements. | If the speaker is referring to a flight time after about 9:30 p.m., they would more likely specify “a late-evening flight” or “a flight in the late evening.” |
| Did you have a nice evening? | A babysitter welcoming the child’s parents home at 1 a.m. after they have been to the theater. | The word “evening” here refers to the parents’ entire outing to the theater, even though it continued past the typical evening hours. |
Afternoon vs evening
The afternoon starts at “noon” (12 p.m./12:00) and finishes when the evening starts at about 5 or 6 p.m. “Afternoon” and “evening” time are not precise concepts, so when you are making arrangements, it is best to clarify what you mean with exact times.
We might think of the period around 5–6 p.m. as either late afternoon or early evening. A person is perhaps more likely to say “good evening,” rather than “good afternoon,” at around 5.30 p.m. if:
- It is already dark outside.
- They are using “good evening” as a goodbye greeting (e.g., saying goodbye to colleagues at the end of the working day).
- They are meeting someone in a restaurant for their evening meal (i.e., dinner).
- They are welcoming someone to an “evening event” (e.g., a show starting at 6.30 p.m.)
Evening vs night
We often use night rather than evening to refer to arrangements that start in the evening but are likely to continue late into the evening and perhaps into the early hours of the morning.
He’s still in bed; he went out last night and didn’t get home until 3.
In compound nouns that refer to a special evening event or arrangement, we often use the word “night” rather than “evening.”
Tuesday is chili night at the Copper Spoon Bistro.
We can’t use the gym on Thursday because they’re setting it up for prom night.
We say good night (not “good evening”) to someone just before we go to bed or to sleep. “Good night” is also a goodbye greeting that we use late in the evening when we expect that the other person will now go home and straight to bed.
Person A: Thanks for a great evening.
Person B: Thank you for coming. Drive home safely. Good night!
Frequently asked questions about evening
- What is a synonym for evening?
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Synonyms for evening include:
- Dusk
- Twilight
- Night
- Eve
- Late afternoon
On a related note, what time is evening can be subjective (i.e., a specific time of day might be thought of as “early evening” or “late afternoon,” depending on the context).
Why not use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find synonyms for “evening” that fit your specific context?
- Is 6 p.m. evening or afternoon?
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When making plans and arrangements, 6 p.m. is typically considered to be a time in the early evening. However, we may consider 6 p.m. to be “late afternoon” when referring to the starting time of an event that is part of our working day, especially if it is still light outside (e.g., “I have a quick work meeting late afternoon, starting at about 6”). In other words, what time is evening can be subjective.
If you need a synonym for “afternoon” or “evening,” why not use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find alternative words or phrases that fit your specific context?
- Is 4 p.m. evening or afternoon?
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When making plans and arrangements, 4 p.m. is typically considered to be a time in the afternoon. However, if the word evening is being used to refer to the amount of daylight, we may think of 4 p.m. as “evening” time if it is already dark, or getting dark (e.g., “It was early evening, about 4 p.m., and the sun had almost set). In other words, what time is evening can be subjective.
If you’re looking for another way of saying “afternoon” or “evening,” why not use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find synonyms that fit your specific context?
- Is 5 p.m. evening or afternoon?
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5 p.m. is considered early evening in some contexts and late afternoon in others because what time evening is can be subjective.
We are probably more likely to consider 5 p.m. to be “late afternoon” rather than “early evening” if it is referring to the starting time of an event that is part of our working day (e.g., “I have an afternoon work meeting at 5”), or if it is still light outside.
If you’re looking for another way of expressing “evening” or “afternoon,” you can use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find synonyms that fit your specific context.
