after goodnight

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after goodnight" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to refer to a time or action that occurs following a goodnight wish, but it lacks context to be usable. Example: "I will call you after goodnight, so we can discuss our plans."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

After "Goodnight Ladies," Scelsa signed off: "Thanks for your ears.

The New Yorker

Haber called his machine IRENE, after "Goodnight, Irene".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It had felt gloriously romantic the night before to blow out our candles after kissing goodnight.

The Guardian - Travel

It was agreed that he shouldn't, and after saying goodnight, Wagner drove half a block, at which point he "stopped the car and began to sob".

The New York Times - Books

So we thought we'd leave you with the song that comes after the goodnight kiss.

Los Angeles Times

My son contentedly climbs into bed after saying goodnight to his younger brother.

Huffington Post

Or, it could be that after your goodnight kisses, your youngster can use a headlamp to look at books until she's drowsy.

Huffington Post

Even in the more elegant, private lean-to's you sleep with people you might normally bid goodnight after dinner.

The New York Times - Arts

It was after we said goodnight that it happened.

Huffington Post

By the end of each day; after stories and goodnight kisses, I collapsed into bed myself.

Huffington Post

Eli subsequently waylays and kills a local man, Jocke, making his drunken way home from a bar after having said goodnight to his best friend, Lacke.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To improve clarity, always specify the action related to "goodnight", such as "after saying goodnight" or "after the goodnight kiss".

Common error

Avoid using "after goodnight" without specifying what action occurs after the farewell. This can create confusion. For instance, instead of saying "I went to bed after goodnight", clarify it as "I went to bed after saying goodnight to my children".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after goodnight" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating a time relationship. However, it's often considered incomplete because it lacks a specific action directly associated with the farewell, as highlighted by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "after goodnight" is understandable, it's often grammatically weak and lacks clarity. Ludwig indicates that it is better to use more descriptive alternatives like "after saying goodnight" or "after the goodnight kiss" to avoid ambiguity. The phrase appears infrequently, primarily in news and media contexts. Therefore, for improved writing, it is recommended to use more specific phrasing to express temporal relationships following a goodnight wish. The suggestions are also aligned with Ludwig AI's observation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after the goodnight

Adds 'the' for grammatical correctness.

after saying goodnight

Adds the verb 'saying' to clarify the action preceding the subsequent event.

right after goodnight

Adds 'right' to emphasize immediacy.

following the goodnight

Replaces 'after' with 'following' to denote a sequence of events.

upon saying goodnight

Suggests that the subsequent action happens immediately after saying goodnight.

immediately after goodnight

Replaces 'right' with 'immediately' to emphasize immediacy in a more formal way.

post-goodnight

Uses 'post-' as a prefix to indicate 'after' in a more concise form.

after bidding goodnight

Uses 'bidding' instead of 'saying' to add formality.

once goodnight was said

Emphasizes the completion of the goodnight farewell before the next action.

subsequent to goodnight

Uses 'subsequent to' for a more formal way of saying 'after'.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the phrase "after goodnight" in a sentence?

The phrase "after goodnight" is grammatically awkward. For clearer communication, specify the action that follows the goodnight. Instead of "after goodnight", use "after saying goodnight" or "after the goodnight" followed by a specific action.

What are some alternatives to saying "after goodnight"?

Alternatives include phrases like "following the goodnight", "after saying goodnight", or "immediately after goodnight". The best choice depends on the specific context and the action being described.

Is it better to say "after goodnight" or "after the goodnight"?

"After the goodnight" is generally better because it includes the definite article "the", making it more grammatically sound. However, it's still better to use a more descriptive phrase like "after saying goodnight" for maximum clarity.

What does "after goodnight" imply?

The phrase "after goodnight" implies that something happens following the exchange of goodnight wishes. However, it lacks specific context, leaving the actual event vague. To be more informative, you should specify what occurred, such as "after saying goodnight, I turned off the lights".