at sunup

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at sunup" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the time of day when the sun rises, often indicating the beginning of a day or an activity that takes place early in the morning. Example: "We plan to start our hike at sunup to enjoy the cool morning air and the beautiful sunrise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Alcock and Brown rise at sunup, then wait.

The New Yorker

After dark and at sunup, too, dozens of immigrants scale the wall or walk around it, their arrival announced by the angry yelps of backyard dogs.

The New York Times

The next day, they wake at dawn, as per their original plan: to start every day at sunup and navigate by whim.

The New Yorker

__ The next day, they wake at dawn, as per their original plan: to start every day at sunup and navigate by whim.

The New Yorker

Mr. Bush stopped by the Korean War Memorial on the Mall for seven minutes at sunup on Friday, and there will be some modest ceremonies here and at the Demilitarized Zone.

The New York Times

5) At sunup, join the fishermen on the Quadrado for Brazilian empanadas (empadas) from Dona Maria, who sells her amazing pies with the help of her 9-year-old grandson from a tiled stall in front of the Ainarí boutique.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

In Kansas, where I lived, you could drive at 14 between sunup and sundown.

Forbes

Alfalfa was cut at sundown or sunup, field-wilted, and harvested as baleage (530 ± 15.0 g of dry matter/kg of fresh matter).

Journal of Dairy Science

Spring turkey hunting starts a half-hour before sunup and closes at noon.

The New York Times - Sports

If you want to join me out on the town one last time before I go, I'll be enjoying some gin at Neir's Tavern from sunup till sundown this Friday.

The New Yorker

In a catalogue interview with the show's curator, Christophe Cherix, he confesses that the robin photographed for his avian-relocation project forty years ago was "a dead bird, which I put on a stick!" He is also represented by an array of eighty gridded photographs recording the light in a room at eight-minute intervals, from sunup to sundown, on the winter solstice in 1970.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at sunup" to create a sense of urgency or to emphasize the beginning of an activity at the earliest possible time of day. It is most effective in narrative or descriptive contexts where a specific time is important.

Common error

While "at sunup" is perfectly acceptable, it might sound less formal than alternatives like "at dawn" or "at sunrise". Consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing; opting for a more formal phrase might be preferable in business or academic writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at sunup" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an action or event occurs. As Ludwig AI explains, it denotes the time of day when the sun rises.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

20%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at sunup" is a common and grammatically correct way to indicate the time of sunrise. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it serves as an adverbial phrase specifying when an action occurs, conveying a sense of early commencement. While slightly less formal than alternatives like "at dawn" or "at sunrise", "at sunup" is widely used in news media and narrative contexts. Remember to consider the formality of your writing and your audience when choosing between "at sunup" and its more formal counterparts. By understanding its function, purpose, and register, you can effectively incorporate "at sunup" into your writing to create a vivid and precise sense of time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at dawn

Replaces "sunup" with "dawn", another word for the early morning.

at daybreak

Substitutes "sunup" with "daybreak", emphasizing the breaking of the day.

at sunrise

Uses the more literal term "sunrise" instead of the figurative "sunup".

first light

Emphasizes the initial appearance of light at the start of the day.

early in the morning

Provides a more general time reference, lacking the specific connotation of sunrise.

at the crack of dawn

An idiomatic expression indicating very early morning.

with the rising sun

A more descriptive phrase, focusing on the action of the sun rising.

as the sun comes up

Describes the event of sunrise rather than stating the time.

before sunrise

Indicates a time shortly preceding the rising of the sun.

when the sun rises

Expresses the time using a clause, focusing on the sun's action.

FAQs

How can I use "at sunup" in a sentence?

You can use "at sunup" to indicate the start time of an event. For example, "The fishermen leave for the sea "at sunup"."

What phrases are similar to "at sunup"?

Alternatives to "at sunup" include "at dawn", "at daybreak", and "at sunrise", all referring to the early morning.

Is it correct to say "at sunup" or should I use "at sunrise"?

Both "at sunup" and "at sunrise" are correct, but "at sunup" is slightly less formal. The choice depends on the context and desired tone.

What's the difference between "at sunup" and "at sundown"?

"At sunup" refers to the time when the sun rises, marking the beginning of the day, while "at sundown" refers to the time when the sun sets, marking the end of the day.