every other midnight

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "every other midnight" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an event or occurrence that takes place every second midnight, essentially every two nights. Example: "The train departs every other midnight, so make sure to check the schedule in advance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

François shaves, by the look of it, every other midnight; he accessorizes his Italian sports coats with mismatched Converse sneakers; and he addresses his customers with a brand of reprobate charm that sounds all the better with his Milanese accent.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mr. Bilbao uses his dishwasher every other morning.

The New York Times

Every other night, she visits inmates at the local jail.

The Guardian

Might that razor, so benign every other morning, know something?

The New Yorker

And so it continues, the same as every other morning.

The Guardian

I dream about my house in Boston, basically every other night.

The New Yorker

On this night, and every other night, Hebert does what Hebert does best.

The New York Times - Sports

She's done it every other afternoon, so I've assumed she's a passable swimmer.

The New Yorker

If I lived nearby, I'd be there every other night.

The New York Times - Magazine

For on this morning, as on every other morning, the bonitos were just bait for marlin.

The New York Times

Every other night, she crept down the mountain to fetch water, risking kidnapping by the Janjaweed.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "every other midnight", ensure the context clearly indicates that you are referring to a specific time (midnight) on alternating nights, as opposed to some other frequency. Avoid ambiguity by providing context.

Common error

A common mistake is assuming "every other midnight" refers to any time during alternating nights. Ensure you're specifically referring to the transition from one day to the next (12:00 AM) and not just any point during those nights. For any other time of the day/night consider using "every other night".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every other midnight" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate when an action occurs. It specifies the frequency and timing of the action, indicating it happens at midnight on alternating nights. Ludwig provides an example of its use in this manner.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "every other midnight" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to specify that something occurs at midnight on alternating nights. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While its frequency is rare, it appears mainly in news and media contexts. When using the phrase, ensure clarity about the specific timing intended (midnight) on alternating nights. Consider alternatives such as "alternate midnights" or "every two nights at midnight" if a more explicit expression is needed. The key is to maintain precision in conveying the intended meaning of occurrences at fixed intervals.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alternate midnights

Uses 'alternate' to directly replace 'every other', maintaining the same meaning with a slightly more concise phrasing.

every two nights at midnight

Specifies the interval more explicitly using "every two nights" instead of the more implicit "every other".

on alternating nights at midnight

Replaces 'every other' with 'on alternating nights' making it explicit that the nights alternate, emphasizing the pattern.

midnight every second night

Reorders the phrase slightly, emphasizing that the midnight occurrence happens every second night.

each second midnight

Uses 'each' instead of 'every', which is a subtle change that emphasizes the individual occurrence within the pattern.

at midnight on alternate days

Phrases the occurrence as happening on "alternate days" specified at midnight.

every other night at 12 AM

Replaces 'midnight' with '12 AM' for clarity, particularly for those unfamiliar with the term 'midnight'.

bi-nightly at midnight

Uses "bi-nightly" to mean every two nights, which is a less common but semantically similar construction.

midnight, two nights apart

Emphasizes the separation between occurrences with "two nights apart", clarifying the interval.

at intervals of two midnights

Emphasizes that the phrase describes something happening at fixed intervals

FAQs

How can I use "every other midnight" in a sentence?

Use "every other midnight" to specify something occurs specifically at midnight on alternating nights. For example, "The maintenance system runs its backup checks every other midnight".

What is an alternative to saying "every other midnight"?

You can use phrases like "alternate midnights" or "every two nights at midnight" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it more correct to say "every other midnight" or "every second midnight"?

"Every other midnight" and "every second midnight" are both grammatically correct and largely interchangeable, although the former is slightly more common. The choice depends on stylistic preference.

Does "every other midnight" mean the same as "every other night"?

Not exactly. "Every other night" refers to the entire duration of alternating nights, while "every other midnight" specifies the exact moment of midnight on those alternating nights. Thus, "every other night" has a broader meaning and is more applicable when the timing is not important.