on a damp night

USAGE SUMMARY

"on a damp night" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a night that has a significant amount of moisture. For example: On a damp night, the wind blew softly through the trees.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Could he bring the same searing intensity to Birmingham on a damp night in November?

The Guardian - Music

LIKE a camp fire on a damp night, the issue of regional government in England keeps spluttering into life only to die down again.

The Economist

Staged in the alfresco environs of Regent's Park, the open-air "Into the Woods" was sometimes as tricky to get a purchase on as its multi-tiered set on a damp night.

The New York Times - Arts

But you won't be able to figure out how Stow Wengenroth (1906-1978), the Brooklyn-born master lithographer, managed to bring the diffuse haze of city streetlamps on a damp night to a sheet of inked paper.

The New York Times

Victory on a damp night in Cardiff came after the batsmen posted a total of 153 after Middlesex put them in to bat in a match reduced to 25 overs.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

It begins simply, with the collection's unnamed narrator, who lives mostly in solitude on the west coast of Ireland, deciding to take a walk on a damp afternoon.

The New Yorker

Robert Kitson An all-French final will be a test for the marketeers, particularly if the standard of execution is as poor as it was on a damp afternoon in Marseille.

The Guardian - Sport

"It was an aesthetic that came out of the only way we knew how to make music, which was live," Mr. Smith said last month, in the bar of the Bowery Hotel in the East Village, on a damp afternoon in between area concerts.

The New York Times - Arts

A gull lands on a shaggy-weeded rock, fluffs itself, and settles into a crouch, bracing against a fierce wind rushing across the water, while, up on the cliff, lichen-covered trees spruce and fir and birch sigh and creak like old men on a damp morning.

The New Yorker

On a damp evening, the 23-year-old home-town girl clocked 53.78 seconds, four tenths of a second faster than she has ever run before.

BBC

Take the seventh Earl of Onslow whose vintage tones, whether quoting from the Koran or referring us to the Greeks, warm the Upper House on many a damp afternoon.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on a damp night" to set a specific mood or atmosphere in your writing. The phrase evokes a sense of stillness, potential discomfort, or a particular kind of sensory experience.

Common error

Avoid starting multiple consecutive sentences with weather-related descriptions like "on a damp night". Vary your sentence structure to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on a damp night" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to provide information about when or where an action takes place. Ludwig AI confirms the acceptability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "on a damp night" serves as an adverbial phrase that paints a scene with a specific atmospheric condition, typically suggesting a cool, moist, and still environment. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and it commonly appears in news and media contexts to provide environmental detail. While not overly frequent, its use is appropriate and evokes a distinct mood. When using this phrase, be mindful of sentence structure and consider alternative phrases like "on a moist evening" or "during a dewy night" for variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on a moist evening

Replaces "damp" with a synonym and "night" with a closely related time of day.

during a dewy night

Focuses on the presence of dew as the primary source of moisture during the night.

on a clammy night

Emphasizes the unpleasant, sticky nature of the dampness.

in the humid darkness

Shifts the focus to the combination of humidity and darkness.

under a wet nocturnal sky

More poetic and descriptive, highlighting the sky and moisture.

on a foggy evening

Specifies the type of dampness as fog, which changes overall atmospheric condition.

during a drizzly night

Highlights the light rain characteristic of the dampness.

in the misty twilight

Shifts focus to twilight hours with a misty atmosphere.

on an overcast night

Focuses on the cloud cover rather than the moisture itself.

beneath a rain-soaked sky

Emphasizes the saturation from recent or ongoing rain.

FAQs

How can I use "on a damp night" in a sentence?

Use "on a damp night" to describe a setting or event that occurs during a night with noticeable moisture in the air. For example, "The concert was held "on a damp night", adding to the intimate atmosphere."

What are some alternatives to "on a damp night"?

You can use alternatives like "on a moist evening", "during a dewy night", or "on a clammy night" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "in a damp night" instead of "on a damp night"?

No, the correct preposition to use is "on". "On a damp night" is the standard and grammatically accepted form. Using "in" would be considered incorrect.

What kind of imagery does "on a damp night" evoke?

The phrase "on a damp night" often suggests a sense of stillness, coolness, and perhaps a slightly melancholic or mysterious atmosphere.