Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (2024)

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You’ve written the sweetest message to send to your loved one before they go to bed. But right before you hit “send,” doubt lurks over you. Is the correct spelling “good night” or “goodnight”? We’ll review everything you need to know about how to use these expressions correctly.

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (1)
“Good Night” or “Goodnight”: Quick Summary

If you want to send someone good wishes when parting ways at night or before going to sleep, good night is the standard spelling, whereas goodnight is an informal alternative.

  • Good night, Mom.
  • Goodnight, Mom.

However, use the two-word spelling as a noun phrase to describe a night and the closed compound word as a modifier to describe a noun.

  • We had a really good night.
  • I wanted a goodnight hug.
Table of Contents

Which Is Correct: “Good Night” or “Goodnight”?

When To Use “Good Night”

Is it “Good Night Sleep” or “Good Night’s Sleep”?

When To Use “Goodnight”

Synonyms of “Good Night”

Which Is Correct: “Good Night” or “Goodnight”?

The answer is simple: when used as a farewell expression, good night and goodnight are both acceptable, but good night is the standard spelling, whereas goodnight is an informal alternative.

However, if you’re meticulous about your grammar and spelling, there’s more you should know about how to properly use the phrases good night and goodnight.

Intrigued? Let’s dive in!

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (2)

When To Use “Good Night”

Good night is an interjection (or exclamation) used when parting ways at night or before going to bed. It’s a shortened version of longer expressions.

I hope you’ll have a good night, Lidia.
or
Have yourself a good night, Lidia.
=
Good night, Lidia.

The longer expressions aren’t necessary, as we can interpret what one means when they say good night. However, if you use a full phrase, it’s recommended to write good night and not goodnight.

I hope you’ll have a good night, Lidia.

I hope you’ll have a goodnight, Lidia.

Furthermore, when spelled as two separate words, good night is a noun phrase. Good functions as an adjective that describes the noun night.

We had a good night together.

You know it will be a good night when all your friends coincidentally end up in the same spot.

Julie and Thomas sang, danced, and had a good night together.

When using good night in this sense, using the spelling variant goodnight is incorrect.

We had a goodnight together.

“Good Night’s Sleep” or “Good Night Sleep”

The more grammatically correct way to say this expression is good night’s sleep. This is because noun phrases can indicate possessions; therefore, a good night’s sleep conveys that the sleep belongs to the good night.

He said he had a good night’s sleep.

He said he had a good night sleep.

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (3)

When To Use “Goodnight”

When used as a farewell expression, goodnight is a more casual spelling of the interjection good night.

Goodnight, Frank. See you in the morning.

It was nice seeing you. Goodnight.

Get some rest. Goodnight.

In this sense, goodnight is typically used as an isolated expression. As we previously mentioned, using goodnight as part of longer expressions is not recommended.

I hope you have a goodnight, Frank. See you in the morning.

Goodnight can also be used as a modifier. In this case, it should be spelled as a closed compound word.

I read her a goodnight story.

Here, goodnight is used to add information to the type of story that was read—one that is told at night before going to sleep. Take a look at what happens if we use the two-word spelling as an adjective:

I read her a good night story.

This sentence can be interpreted in different ways: Someone read a story that took place at night, or someone read a good story that happens to be told at night. Do you see how confusion can arise?

Here are a few more examples of goodnight being used as a modifier.

I told Sarah to give Jonny a goodnight kiss and then go to bed.
Lily asked that I sing her a goodnight lullaby.
Before going to sleep, I sent her a goodnight message.

Synonyms of “Good Night”

When using good night and goodnight as interjections, there are other expressions you can try instead. Here are a few of them:

Sweet dreams
Sleep well
Have a pleasant night
Sleep tight
Until tomorrow
Pleasant dreams
Nighty-night
Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (4)

Sleep Tight Knowing Your Writing is Bright

We know there’s a lot to remember when it comes to using good night and goodnight correctly. So, here’s a recap:

  • When you want to send someone well wishes before going to bed or parting ways at night, good night and goodnight are both acceptable, but good night is the standard spelling. You can remember this by considering the expressions good morning and good afternoon, which are never spelled goodmorning nor goodafternoon.
  • If you intend to describe a night, use the two-word spelling (good night, not goodnight).
  • To modify a noun, use the closed compound spelling (goodnight kiss, not good night kiss).

When in doubt, use LanguageTool as your writing assistant. This multilingual spell and grammar checker can verify the correct usage of good night and goodnight while ensuring optimal tone and style. Give it a try today and start writing flawless and moving goodnight messages.

Checking provided by LanguageToolCheck your text with LanguageTool

  • Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (5)

Gina

Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. With a passion for creating art with words, she spends her free time reading and writing. And no, we didn’t force her to say that. You can find her strolling the shorelines with her loyal canine companion, Mango, or (painfully) cheering on her favorite team, the Miami Dolphins.

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Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (2024)

FAQs

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? ›

In general, "goodnight" is more commonly used as a farewell before going to bed, while "good night" is used more broadly as a greeting or a farewell. It depends on the context, as usual. If you are wishing somebody to “have a good night” at a special event or date, then I would use two words (future tense).

Which is correct good night or goodnight? ›

Which Is Correct: “Good Night” or “Goodnight”? The answer is simple: when used as a farewell expression, good night and goodnight are both acceptable, but good night is the standard spelling, whereas goodnight is an informal alternative.

Is it better to say goodnight or night? ›

A good rule of thumb is to use good night rather than goodnight when you're using it as an interjection. The two-word spelling is generally the safer choice, since it's an older spelling and accepted in all English dictionaries.

Is have a good night the same as goodnight? ›

Do “goodnight” and “have a good night” mean the same thing? Good question! In the vaguest sense, both are expressions used to wish someone a pleasant night. Beyond that, however, they are not interchangeable.

What is the best reply to "Good night"? ›

The simple and polite answer is:“Sleep well,sleep well!” What does it mean when a guy texts you good night even though you didn't talk to him all day?

Is it polite to say goodnight? ›

“Goodnight” is often reserved for close friends and family members. Since “goodnight” is an expression used right before bedtime, it's typically directed toward loved ones. Speaking to someone right before they sleep is fairly intimate, so most people do not use “goodnight” in formal settings.

Is Goodnight a proper greeting? ›

No, "good night" is not typically used as a greeting. It's either a farewell or a description of the night's quality.

What does it mean when he says goodnight ❤? ›

It's a good sign that he likes you, but do not use it as an accurate measure of just how MUCH he likes you. There are different types of guys after all. Some guys do that as a flirty gesture, some are just sweet and friendly, and some might use it as a hint that he has feelings for you.

Do guys like Goodnight texts? ›

Many guys appreciate texts regardless of their content because they show that you're thinking of them. Further, a lot of guys like getting goodnight texts, but may not ask for them outright. It can be important not to overthink what kind of text to send a guy and when to send it.

What is better to say than goodnight? ›

Use these cute expressions.
  • Sleep tight, little star.
  • Nighty night, sleepyhead.
  • Sweet dreams, tiny dreamer.
  • See you in Dreamland, little one.
  • Time for twinkling dreams.
  • Hush-a-bye, little darling.
  • Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.
  • Off to dreamy adventures!
Nov 2, 2023

What does goodnight mean in a text? ›

used to express good wishes in the evening especially when someone is leaving or going to sleep.

Why do people say goodnight? ›

Good night: Meaning & Examples

Say “Good night” to say “goodbye” – when you are leaving to go home. Family members also say “good night” when they are going to bed.

When should I say good night? ›

We say, “Good night,” to people in our household when we're going to bed. We also say it when we're leaving people we've been visiting. It's said around the time we're going out the door, but only if it's dark outside; we probably wouldn't say it much before 9 p.m. even if it's already dark (depending on the season).

Should I reply if a guy says good night? ›

If anyone says good night to me, what should I respond with? Usually “good night” means “now we part.” There is a wish for closure in the phrase, so the best answer is to reply with equal finality, “Good night.”

How do you say good night in a cute way? ›

  1. Goodnight! Sweet dreams 😊" bye.
  2. "Sleep talk to you tomorrow!" My love 💕
  3. "Nighty night! Rest well!"
  4. "Wishing you a peaceful sleep and a bright tomorrow!"
  5. "Goodnight, beautiful. Thinking of you."
  6. "Sleep well, my dear. See you in the morning!"
  7. "Sending you hugs and kisses for a cozy night. ...
  8. "Sweet dreams, lovely lady.
Dec 6, 2023

How do you flirt over text goodnight? ›

Flirty Good Night Messages
  1. “My dreams would only be sweeter if you were here. ...
  2. “Good night! ...
  3. “I wish we didn't have to sleep, so we could just keep talking!”
  4. “My bed feels so empty without you in it.”
  5. “I think we really ought to move in together at this point. ...
  6. “I'm already looking forward to your good morning text.”
Aug 24, 2023

Is goodnight a single word? ›

Is “goodnight” one word or two? The greeting said to someone at the end of the day is usually written “goodnight,” though “good night” is also sometimes used. “Good night” can also be a phrase composed of an adjective and noun to describe a particular night, in which case it should always be two words.

What is the official way to say good night? ›

Formal Ways to Say Good Night
  • I bid you good night and restful slumber.
  • Have a restful night.
  • May your evening be tranquil and your sleep rejuvenating.
  • Wishing you a night of serene repose.
  • Allow me to extend my wishes for a peaceful night's rest.
  • I hope your night is filled with undisturbed sleep and sweet dreams.
Nov 2, 2023

How do you use goodnight in a sentence? ›

said when people leave each other in the evening or before going to bed or to sleep: Well, good night - sleep well. Give the children a good-night kiss. "Good night, Mummy." "Goodnight, darling!"

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