keep late hours

USAGE SUMMARY

'keep late hours' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about someone who stays up late at night and sleeps in late. For example, "My teenage son enjoys keeping late hours, often staying up past midnight and not getting up until noon the next day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Coaches commonly keep late hours but not so much in the off-season months, like March.

The New York Times - Sports

Most jazz musicians keep late hours, but Chick Corea's are even later.

The New York Times - Arts

Although some hummingbirds go into a state resembling hibernation every night, curtailing their metabolism drastically, others keep late hours.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Because musicians keep late hours, 24-hour room service or a hotel bar and restaurant are major draws.

The New York Times - Travel

And while these are working lofts and not places to live, artists frequently keep late hours -- something that can be somewhat frightening, Ms. Catto said.

The New York Times

Soon I'll say goodbye to it all, let my hair go, keep late hours, gorge myself until I'm sick, run around my backyard, roll in the leaves and mud.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Georgia, keeps late hours.

The New Yorker

Lucky the pasta palace next door keeps late hours.

The New York Times

The only way to be sure… The single, blinding release of pure energy over Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6 , 1945 marked a startling and permanent break with our prior understandings of… Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Georgia, keeps late hours.

The New Yorker

He's rooted in house music but follows his ear through countless rhythmic transformations, and he keeps late hours, starting his 12-hour set at 4 a.m. on what some people call Saturday night and others Sunday morning.

The New York Times

Vermeil continued to circle the room, trying to explain the togetherness he has fostered in his 11-1 team, when he came to a photo of a garage amid Northern California's tall trees, a garage that no longer exists, the garage where his father, Louis, kept late hours and taught him the lessons he would apply to every aspect of his life.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Incorporate this phrase when writing about creative professionals, such as musicians or artists, as it fits the traditional narrative of their work cycles.

Common error

Avoid using "keep late hours" when you simply mean that someone is late for an appointment. Being late (tardiness) is a matter of punctuality, whereas keeping late hours refers to a person's sleep and wake cycle. If someone misses a meeting, say they are 'running late' rather than 'keeping late hours'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep late hours" functions as an idiomatic verb phrase where the verb 'keep' acts as a light verb meaning to maintain or observe. It typically occupies the predicate position in a sentence to define the subject's behavioral routine. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically standard and widely accepted in contemporary writing.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki & How-to

15%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science & Academic

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

To "keep late hours" is a sophisticated and idiomatic way to describe someone who habitually stays awake or works deep into the night. Analysis from Ludwig shows that the phrase is highly versatile, appearing in contexts ranging from descriptions of jazz musicians and tech workers to scientific observations of hummingbirds. Unlike simple alternatives like "stay up late", this phrase suggests a consistent pattern or lifestyle choice. It is most frequently found in high-quality journalism, particularly when authors want to evoke a sense of character or professional dedication. When using it, remember that it refers to a habitual schedule rather than a single instance of being late for an event. Whether you are describing a creative professional or a nocturnal animal, "keep late hours" remains a precise and elegant choice in the English language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

burn the midnight oil

Uses a classic idiom specifically implying working hard late into the night rather than just staying awake.

stay up late

More informal and describes a single instance or a general habit without the formal structure of 'keeping hours'.

be a night owl

Shifts the focus from the action to the person's inherent personality or chronotype.

keep odd hours

Broader term that implies an irregular schedule which might include late nights but also unusual daytime shifts.

work late

Focuses strictly on professional obligations rather than a general lifestyle or personal choice.

stay awake until the small hours

Adds specific emphasis on how late the person remains awake, usually until 1 or 2 a.m.

burn the candle at both ends

Implies a more exhausting lifestyle of staying up late and waking up early, suggesting potential burnout.

keep irregular hours

More clinical and formal, often used in employment contracts or medical contexts.

keep a late schedule

Replaces the idiomatic 'hours' with 'schedule', making the expression more literal and contemporary.

be up until dawn

An extreme version that suggests staying awake the entire night.

FAQs

How to use "keep late hours" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe someone's routine, such as: 'As a software developer, he tends to "keep late hours" to avoid distractions.' According to Ludwig, it is common in both literary and journalistic contexts.

What is the difference between "keep late hours" and "stay up late"?

While both refer to being awake at night, "stay up late" is more casual and often refers to a specific night, whereas "keep late hours" describes a consistent habit or a lifestyle.

Is it "keep late hours" or "keep long hours"?

Both are correct but have different meanings. "keep long hours" means to work for a very long time throughout the day, while "keep late hours" specifically means staying awake or working deep into the night.

What is a more formal way to say "keep late hours"?

In a formal or clinical context, you might say someone has a "delayed sleep phase" or they "maintain an irregular schedule".