stayed the night

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "stayed the night" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe someone who has spent the night at a place, usually someone else's home. Example: "After the party, I decided to stay the night at my friend's house since it was too late to drive home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

He and his crew kept broadcasting until midnight Sunday local time, then stayed the night at a hotel in Miami, Okla., 25 miles to the west.

The New York Times

That evening, we passed the sea's southern tip and stayed the night in the resort town of Eilat, along the shore of the Red Sea.

Columbia University

Crim stayed the night.

The New Yorker

He never stayed the night.

The New York Times

He stayed the night.

The Guardian

I've barely stayed the night there since.

The Guardian - Opinion

Here she stayed the night, to watch the light show illuminate the 500m-high tiered cascade.

The Guardian - Travel

It featured a jazz band and, for those who stayed the night, brunch.

The New York Times

On the evening of 22 September he had gone to her flat and stayed the night.

The Guardian

So I arrived in South Africa thursday evening and stayed the night in johannesburg after meeting Bombiti at the airport.

Cornell University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

And she stayed the night with us.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "stayed the night" to clearly indicate that someone spent the entire night at a particular location, differentiating it from a brief visit. For example, instead of saying "I visited John", specify "I stayed the night at John's house" to provide more context.

Common error

Avoid using "stayed the night" when someone only visited briefly. It's inaccurate to say "I stayed the night" if you left after a few hours. Instead, use phrases like "I visited" or "I stopped by".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "stayed the night" functions as a verb phrase, specifically acting as the main verb within a clause. It indicates the action of remaining in a place throughout the night. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Academia

19%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "stayed the night" is a common and grammatically sound verb phrase used to indicate that someone remained in a place throughout the night. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's appropriate in a variety of contexts, from news reports and academic papers to casual conversations. While alternatives like "spent the night" or "slept over" exist, "stayed the night" provides a clear and unambiguous way to convey this information. Remember to use it accurately to avoid misleading your audience about the duration of a visit.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spent the night

Focuses on the act of spending the night, emphasizing duration.

slept over

Informal and conversational, implies sleeping at someone else's place.

remained overnight

More formal, emphasizes the act of remaining in a location until the next day.

lodged overnight

Suggests a temporary accommodation, such as in a hotel or inn.

boarded overnight

Implies staying overnight in a place that provides lodging, like a boarding house.

sojourned overnight

Formal and somewhat archaic, suggests a temporary stay.

took up temporary residence

Emphasizes the temporary nature of the stay.

halted for the night

Suggests a stop during a journey, with the intention of resting.

camped for the night

Implies staying outdoors, typically in a tent or makeshift shelter.

visited and stayed

More descriptive, breaks down the action into visiting and then staying.

FAQs

How can I use "stayed the night" in a sentence?

You can use "stayed the night" to indicate that someone spent the entire night at a particular location. For example, "After the concert, I "stayed the night" at a friend's apartment because it was too late to drive home."

What's a less formal way to say "stayed the night"?

A less formal alternative to "stayed the night" is "slept over". For example, "I slept over at my cousin's house after the party."

What can I say instead of "stayed the night" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using "remained overnight" or "lodged overnight". For example, "Due to the inclement weather, we remained overnight at the hotel."

Is there a difference between "stayed the night" and "spent the night"?

The phrases ""stayed the night"" and "spent the night" are largely interchangeable. Both indicate that someone remained in a location throughout the night. For example, "I spent the night at my grandmother's house."