tonight

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tonight" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the evening or night of the current day. Example: "We are planning to go out for dinner tonight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But not tonight.

The Guardian

"Nicola Sturgeon won that debate tonight," said Sam, 27, who works for a gambling firm and is wavering between Labour and the Tories.

The Guardian

On Saturday, a district court in the Black Sea port city sentenced 18-year-old Margarita Radetskaya – who can be seen in the video, at the head of six girls dancing to the song Touch You Tonight by the Jamaican dancehall artist Aidonia – to 15 days of administrative arrest for petty hooliganism, it said in a statement.

The Guardian

After five attempts, they are yet to experience their first victory at a European Championship, and that's a record that needs to end at the sixth time of asking tonight.

The Guardian - Sport

"I was pretty impressed with Obraniak in the first two games - has he been performing as well tonight?" asks Aisling Daly.

The Guardian - Sport

Only thing what's on my mind, who's gonna run this town tonight?") are both almost a direct translation from the books into song form, and it is obviously one of the most bad-ass songs I've ever listened too and never fails to get me pumped up, as if I was going into battle and could do back flips and stuff like that.

The Guardian

There will be times when we will be able to play more expansively, as we can, but tonight we had a job to do.

The Guardian - Sport

Don't they realise that Germany weren't even playing in that game in 1982 (though it's too much to expect ITV to pay attention to anything like the political borders in place at the time)." Facebook Twitter Google plus Share Share this post Facebook Twitter Google plus close 8.38pm BST20:38 — Football Clichés (@FootballCliches) June 30 ,2014 Lee Dixon's gone full River Island tonight.

The Guardian - Sport

Swift said afterwards "I thought I couldn't love Beyonce more and then tonight happened".

The Guardian - Music

The real yardstick for the chancellors' debate, therefore, is whether the public's views about Alistair Darling, George Osborne or Vince Cable have changed at all tonight.

The Guardian - Opinion

All that will have been strengthened a little tonight.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tonight" to refer to the evening or night of the current day. It's a clear and concise way to indicate when something is happening.

Common error

Avoid using "tonight" to refer to a night in the past. Use "last night" to indicate the night before the current day instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tonight" is as an adverb of time, modifying verbs or clauses to specify when an action takes place. It can also function as a noun, referring to the night itself. Ludwig AI confirms its versatility.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "tonight" is a versatile and frequently used adverbial phrase that refers to the current evening or night. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and appropriateness across various contexts. While its primary function is to indicate the timing of events, it's important to avoid using it to refer to past nights—instead, opting for phrases like "last night". Its usage is particularly common in News & Media sources, ensuring clarity and immediate temporal understanding. Be mindful to use "tonight" accurately and consider alternatives like "this evening" to further refine the specific timeframe, as indicated by the provided examples and insights.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this evening

Refers to the later part of the current day, similar to "tonight".

this night

A more formal or literary way of saying "tonight".

later this day

Indicates something happening in the remaining hours of the current day, including the evening.

in the current evening

A more descriptive way to specify the evening of the present day.

on this very night

Emphasizes the importance or uniqueness of the current night.

during this night

Specifies that something occurs within the timeframe of the current night.

presently

Implies that something is happening or will happen in the near future, which could include "tonight".

at nightfall

Refers to the beginning of the night, often used to describe when something starts "tonight".

in the hours to come

Indicates events that will occur in the approaching hours, including the evening and night of "tonight".

before the day is over

Encompasses all the remaining time in the current day, including "tonight".

FAQs

How do I use "tonight" in a sentence?

Use "tonight" to refer to the evening or night of the present day. For example, "I am going to the movies tonight".

What are some alternatives to using "tonight"?

You can use alternatives such as "this evening" or "this night" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "tonight" to refer to the previous night?

No, "tonight" refers to the current night. Use "last night" to refer to the previous night.

What's the difference between "tonight" and "this evening"?

"Tonight" refers to the entire night of the present day, while "this evening" typically refers to the earlier part of the night.