as in nighthawks
a person who is active late at night
a night owl whose spouse is more of an early bird
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Recent Examples of night owls
Poor sleep is more common among night owls and raises the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other conditions that impact the heart.
—
Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2026
Athena This category is named for the goddess of wisdom and reason and includes people who are neither night owls nor early birds.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 12 Mar. 2026
Some people identify as night owls, others are early risers.
—Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Early birds who are already attuned to waking up early might have an easier time adjusting than night owls, Manoogian says.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 8 Mar. 2026
This Mediterranean hole-in-the-wall on 10th Avenue South has been feeding Birmingham’s night owls for years – small inside, with a courtyard out back where the fountain burbles alongside your late-night conversation.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Early birds should try to glimpse the planetary parade before sunrise, and for night owls the best visibility will be right after sunset, Haviland said.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
For a nightcap, follow the night owls and young resort workers to Casino, a dive bar where pool players will find plenty of friendly competition.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
But early bedtimes got a huge PR boost when recent research showed that night owls may be more likely to have heart issues.
—Outside, 7 Feb. 2026
Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2026
Athena This category is named for the goddess of wisdom and reason and includes people who are neither night owls nor early birds.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 12 Mar. 2026
Some people identify as night owls, others are early risers.
—Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Early birds who are already attuned to waking up early might have an easier time adjusting than night owls, Manoogian says.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 8 Mar. 2026
This Mediterranean hole-in-the-wall on 10th Avenue South has been feeding Birmingham’s night owls for years – small inside, with a courtyard out back where the fountain burbles alongside your late-night conversation.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Early birds should try to glimpse the planetary parade before sunrise, and for night owls the best visibility will be right after sunset, Haviland said.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
For a nightcap, follow the night owls and young resort workers to Casino, a dive bar where pool players will find plenty of friendly competition.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
But early bedtimes got a huge PR boost when recent research showed that night owls may be more likely to have heart issues.
—Outside, 7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Night owls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/night%20owls. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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