graveyard shift

noun

: a work shift beginning late at night (such as 11 o'clock)

also : the workers on such a shift

Examples of graveyard shift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The film is set over the course of a graveyard shift at a strange and haunted gas station. —

Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2024 Topo Padilla, the co-owner of Greg Padilla Bail Bonds with his father, said outside of court that Brace was working the graveyard shift when Mandell approached the office and asked to speak on the phone. —

Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 5 June 2024 There were people who went there on the other mornings anyway, like graveyard shift workers and just early morning drinkers. —

Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2024 Reputation’s tougher bangers captured my stress around working graveyard shifts — 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. — as an overnight editor. —

Melissah Yang, refinery29.com, 15 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for graveyard shift

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'graveyard shift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of graveyard shift was in 1908

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Graveyard shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graveyard%20shift. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.

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