midday

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'midday' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to either 12 pm or the middle of the day as a general time period. For example, "We will meet at midday on Saturday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To be considered for publication on Saturday, emails should include a full postal address (not for publication), must reach us by midday on the preceding Tuesday and may be edited.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A crowd gathers at the bar at midday when the chef sends out plates of the dish of the day that are quickly snapped up, not surprising when the cost is €6.

The Guardian - Travel

Around midday, the camp learns that a convoy from an outpost five miles away has been ambushed on a road to the north.

The New York Times

What was once the industrial heart of Uruguay is now a quiet riverside backwater where nothing much happens - the shops don't bother to open until midday and not at all if it's raining.

The Guardian - Travel

Markets reacted by moving lazily upward, with the Dow up.86% at midday.

The Guardian - Business

All MPs with English seats were given personal copies of the Boundary Commission for England report in parliament's Portcullis House at midday on Monday before its publication at midnight.

The Guardian

Around midday Tony Blair announced he was stepping down as prime minister.

The Guardian

The polls will be published at midday on Tuesday 26 May, so please tell us what you think.

The Guardian - Sport

The terrain, a mix of beach and clifftop paths, was easygoing aside from the July sun, which became fierce around midday.

The Guardian - Travel

The Celtic manager felt the midday kick-off, coming on the back of a full fixture card of midweek international matches, contributed to his team's below-par performance.

The Guardian - Sport

It was a Saturday, when work stopped at midday and the store rooms and motor pool would be unmanned.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "midday" when you need a concise and universally understood term for 12:00 pm. It is appropriate for most contexts, from formal reports to casual conversation.

Common error

Avoid using "midday" interchangeably with "afternoon" or "morning". "Midday" specifically refers to 12:00 pm, while the others refer to broader time spans.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "midday" is as a noun, denoting the middle of the day or twelve o'clock in the daytime. As Ludwig AI confirms, this term is grammatically correct and widely accepted in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Travel

12%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

8%

Lifestyle

6%

Sport

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "midday" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term to denote either 12:00 pm or the middle of the day. According to Ludwig AI, it is correct and usable in written English. It maintains a neutral register, making it suitable for diverse contexts, from news reporting and business communications to travel writing and general conversation. The term is particularly prevalent in "News & Media", "Travel", and "Formal & Business" sources. When using "midday", remember to specify the time accurately and avoid confusion with broader time spans like "afternoon" or "morning".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

noon

A more formal and precise term for 12:00 pm.

twelve noon

Emphasizes the exact time, often used for clarity.

noontime

A more descriptive and less precise term for the middle of the day.

twelve o'clock

Specifies the hour without implying the entire period.

middle of the day

Focuses on the time period rather than the specific hour.

lunchtime

Highlights the association with the typical time for lunch.

high noon

Suggests the peak of the sun's position, often with a dramatic connotation.

day's midpoint

Emphasizes the central position within the day's timeline.

around 12 pm

Indicates an approximate time near midday.

halfway through the day

Highlights the temporal position relative to the entire day.

FAQs

How can I use "midday" in a sentence?

You can use "midday" to specify a precise time, such as "The meeting is scheduled for "midday"". It can also refer to the general middle part of the day: "The sun is strongest around "midday"".

What's the difference between "midday" and "noon"?

"Midday" and "noon" are often used interchangeably to mean 12:00 pm. However, "noon" is generally considered a more formal and precise term, while "midday" can sometimes refer to the general period around 12:00 pm.

Is it correct to say "at midday" or "in midday"?

The correct preposition to use with "midday" is "at". You would say "at midday", not "in midday". For example, "The event starts "at midday"".

What are some alternatives to using "midday" in my writing?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "noon", "twelve pm", or "lunchtime depending" on the focus you want to emphasize.