NOCTURNAL Synonyms: 9 Similar and Opposite Words

nocturnal

adjective

näk-ˈtər-nᵊl

Definition of nocturnal

as in night

of, relating to, or occurring in the night he bought a new telescope so he could pursue his favorite nocturnal hobby of astronomy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nocturnal That can include wild animals that seem unusually tame, nocturnal animals that are out in the day, and pets that have trouble walking, eating or a significant change in personality. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026 Five nightly wrist measurements detected nocturnal hypertension in 27-39% of participants, compared with 26% for single-night ambulatory monitoring. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026 Five nightly wrist measurements caught nocturnal hypertension in 27% to 39% of participants, compared with 26% for a single night of ambulatory monitoring. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026 The shy, nocturnal creatures seem to be staying high in the canopy rather than coming down to feed, but then one of the rangers asks us to follow them as quickly and quietly as possible. — Claire Turrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nocturnal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nocturnal

Adjective

Along the way, The Brutalist filmmaker Brady Corbet shot Byrne’s multi-night stint at Baltimore’s Hippodrome on 70mm film for an upcoming concert picture.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Book a pre-night hotel stay after overnight flights.

— Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025

Definition of night

Adjective

The measure passed in a post-midnight session by unanimous consent, meaning no members objected.

— CBS News, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
The post-midnight announcement came after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects the supreme leader.

— Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026

Definition of midnight

Browse Nearby Words

noctambulists

nocturnal

nocuous

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nocturnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nocturnal. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nocturnal

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes