this evening

USAGE SUMMARY

"this evening" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to the evening of the current or same day. For example, "I'm looking forward to seeing you this evening."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I'm the shit this evening, nigga — this evening".

The New Yorker

"I'm the shit this evening, nigga this evening".

The New Yorker

Possibly even this evening.

TechCrunch

Facebook reports earnings this evening.

The New York Times

TiVo announces results this evening.

The New York Times

It might rain this evening.

The New York Times

Some great stuff this evening.

Independent

I'll come this evening.

The New Yorker

Nottingham University, this evening.

The Guardian

A rally is planned for this evening.

The Economist

It's because #BakeOff starts this evening.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this evening" to refer to the evening of the current day, offering a slightly more formal tone than "tonight".

Common error

Avoid using "this evening" when you actually mean a future evening. It strictly refers to the evening of the current day.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this evening" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs by specifying when an action takes place. As Ludwig AI confirms, it denotes a specific time frame within the current day. Examples from Ludwig show its use in contexts like scheduling events or reporting news.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Formal & Business

9%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "this evening" is a grammatically correct and very common adverbial phrase used to refer to the evening of the current day. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions to provide temporal context. While similar to "tonight", it carries a slightly more formal tone. The phrase is widely used in news, business, and scientific contexts. When writing, ensure that you are referring to the present day's evening, and not a future one. Common alternatives include "tonight" and "later today".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tonight

A more concise and common synonym for "this evening".

later today

Focuses on the timing within the current day, with less specific focus on the evening.

this night

A more formal or literary synonym for "this evening".

the evening of today

A more verbose and slightly redundant way of saying "this evening".

during the evening

Emphasizes the duration within the evening period.

in the p.m.

A shortened, less formal version indicating the afternoon or evening hours.

at nightfall

Focuses on the beginning of the evening, specifically when night begins.

as night approaches

Emphasizes the approaching time of night.

when the sun sets

Focuses on the specific time of sunset as the start of the evening.

after sunset

Indicates a time period following the setting of the sun.

FAQs

What is the difference between "this evening" and "tonight"?

While both refer to the evening of the current day, "this evening" is often perceived as slightly more formal than "tonight".

Can I use "this evening" to refer to a future date?

No, "this evening" refers specifically to the evening of the present day. For future evenings, use phrases like "tomorrow evening" or "next Friday evening".

What are some alternatives to "this evening"?

Depending on the context, you can use "tonight", "later today", or "this night".

How do I use "this evening" in a sentence?

"This evening" typically functions as an adverbial phrase. For example, "I am going to the cinema "this evening"" or "Facebook reports earnings "this evening"".